Ok, so I winged it…
Had been waffling about going for the last week, and decided at the last minute (night before) to go.
Finalized my list the morning of (with a quick shift of things 15 min before leaving).
My list;
1850
-Overlord(Warscythe, Phase Shifter, Tachyon Arrow)
Catacomb Command Barge
-Overlord(Warscythe, Phase Shifter, Tachyon Arrow)
Catacomb Command Barge
-Court 1 (3 destruction-teks/1 pulse, Lord/Warscythe+Mindshackle)
-Court 2 (3 destruction-teks/1 pulse, Lord/Warscythe+Mindshackle)
-Warriors x7
Ghost Ark
-Warriors x7
Ghost Ark
-Tesla-mmortals x5
Night Scythe
-Tesla-mmortals x5
Night Scythe
-Annihilation Barge(Gauss Cannon)
-Annihilation Barge(Gauss Cannon)
(the point behind the list, test a number of units for viability WITHOUT any of the ‘tricksy’ stuff in the codex. Combos can be intentionally stymied, or simply run afoul of their counters…I needed to see holes that I ‘missed’, confirm issues I suspected and confirm viability of units ‘in a vacuum’)
All missions were Adepticon missions.
Round 1;
My opponent…Necrons. (I hate civil wars).
His list(from memory, he didn’t have a copy to share permanently).
Overlord(Phaeron)
Overlord(Phaeron)
10x Warriors
10x Warriors
9x Warriors (Ghost Ark)
9x Warriors (Ghost Ark)
5x Destroyers (2x hvy)
5x Scarabs
5x Scarabs
Annihilation Barge
Annihilation Barge
Annihilation Barge
(turns out, he had the same things in mind. Yayyy for a game where both players are just plain refusing to die!!!)
Mission;
Kill points, Table Quarters, Table Center
Deployment;
Spearhead
He won the roll to go first.
-He ground forward, I pulsed first turn. Nothing was in range for him.
I shifted left, fired. I dropped a standard destroyer with an Anni-barge.
-He ground forward further on turn two, shifting to his two outlying quarters and took advantage of a ‘no-pulse’ turn but only managed a stunned A-barge and immobilized scythe.
I returned fire (while further shifting to my left, after living metal let me ‘flee’ with the A-barge). I killed one of his A-barges and successfully stunned a Ghost Ark.
-I pulsed on his turn three, forcing his Destoyers into close range to fire. Nothing else of his really had a chance to shoot. Destroyers successfully shook the other A-barge.
I dropped his Destroyers to a man (after disembarking the Tesla-Mortals with tek+lord, from the immobile scythe).
-Turn 4 stripped some broadsides from my lead Ghost ark, and then I went and started the ‘whack-a-mole’ game.
-It went to turn 6, with me finishing off all his barges with ‘whackamole-lords’ and using the last mobile scythe to contest a quarter.
I won KP, Quarters and Table Center…while netting a very minimal number of VP’s. Definitely a grinding game.
Scythes gave me tempo control, but fired infrequently.
Cat-Barges definitely let me feel more confident, but needed something…more?...against his army.
-Round 2
Opponent’s List (ML-Josh M) from memory-Blood Angels;
Mephiston
Sang Priest(JP)
Sang Priest(JP)
(5?)10 man RAS with dbl melta and Pfists or Pweapons
Attk Bike(mm)
Attk Bike(mm)
(3) 5 man missile devs
Mission;
Kill points, Objective(5), Marked Unit
Deployment;
Pitched
Okay, so I wussed out on this one.
Glaring hole (that I missed) #1…massive MOBILE melta with FNP.
The high number of MEQ backed by FNP, yeah…Tesla no-likey!!!
He marked one of my Scythes (which, upon further reflection, he couldn’t do because of the ‘no ded-port’ restriction…but we both missed that, so meh!)
I reserved it empty.
I won roll, chose to go second.
After his deployment, I castled in an opposite corner from his devastator-star (building that gave him maximum range+LOS), and then seized the initiative.
We ‘played’ for 5 turns…and by played, I mean I hid like a little bi!@#…and he sniped. I got a KP right off (turn 2) from an attk bike, and was willing to settle in for a slight advantage.
He was concerned enough about an unfamiliar enemy army, and underestimated the threat he posed to me. He didn’t jump into my face, but played the waiting game hoping for a mistake…no fear, I delivered one to him on a silver platter! :-D
Turn 6, with both of us frustrated at no action (sometimes, conservative play may be smart…but can damned sure be dull…I blame my cowardly overlords), I stuck my nose out to contest objective count (hoping to eek out a slight win)…and barely underestimated a few range 6” breaks…and promptly had said ‘nose’ chopped off.
Until that last turn, it was a dull game (still with a fun opponent).
Last turn it wasn’t dull, but it was fun (for the filthy Chaos pla…I mean BA player!) ;-)
Josh wins;
KP, Objectives.
With a solid victory though, he still only managed approx 300VP off of the army.
-Round 3
Opponent’s List (ML-Jason) from memory-Black Templars;
Marshal (terminator/Storm Shield)
Chaplain(terminator/Cenobite Servitors)
Emp Champ
Terminator Unit (dbl Cyclone)
Big Blob unit (4x scouts, melta/pfist)
Big Blob unit (4x scouts, melta/pfist)
5x las/plas squad
5x las/plas squad
5x las/plas squad
5x plasmacannon/melta squad
5x plasmacannon/melta squad
Mission;
Kill points, Objective(6);
2nd and 3rd victory conditions were based on placement of objectives in dep zones. 2nd VC was controlling more of the objectives in your opponent’s dep zone(3 of them), 3rd was controlling more of them in your own.
Deployment;
DoW (thank gawdz, never seem to see this one often enough).
I won the roll, and deferred.
He deployed one initiate blob, and the termies. We both forgot 1+1, and he had the ICs joined to the termies. No big, it happens…I just saw terminators, and wasn’t thinking. He was playing a wholly different list than he is accustomed to, and just deployed by reflex. I did not attempt to seize, and kept everything off table. His deployment put the blob, and termies, up the middle in order to drive toward my dep-zone objectives right off the bat.
-He walked on his turn one, spreading out to maximize his Las/Plas squad’s fire windows. Terrain was sparse, so the spread (and 48” ranges) were going to give him maximum coverage. He hasn’t had much exposure to the new ‘crons, and wasn’t taking into consideration the Solar Pulses. He ran termies and blob-1 deeper into my dep-zone.
I drove forward max-speed up my left table edge, hugging the ‘wall’ as tightly as possible. Flat-out on my CCBs.
-His turn two, I pulsed…he cursed (with a smile). He managed to get off 3 shots. One was bounced by a flat-out save, two came up as penetrations (against the same Ghost Ark) that he then rolled 1’s on and I promptly living-metal saved away…but had to hide that Ghost Ark for the rest of the game. He ran blob-1 to within scoring range of one of my home objectives…run rolls were good for him!
I flat out-ed the two CCBs over a las/plas 5 man, and took out two (including the Lascannon). Fire from ABarges further reduced the unit. I moved the Scythes flat out up the edge into his far corner.
-His turn 3 I pulsed again, he cursed again. He managed range on a scythe, which he wrecked. I forgot the ‘back in reserves’ rule here, and deployed from the wreck. New mechanics got me…wish I’d remembered, it would have given me a contesting unit for later in the game. All other fire was either bounced off flat-out saves (CCBs), or glances that came up 1’s and were living-metal saved away.
I played whack-a-mole across another unit, getting my CCBs into the center of his back edge (and netting another lascannon). Fire from Abarges annihilated the remnants of that unit, and fire from onboard Warriors/Scythe crippled another.
-Turn 4 saw so much of his fire reduced, that I didn’t really miss the pulses. He secured two of my objectives, I cleared and secured all but one of his.
-Turn 5 and 6 was cleanup. More fire that was bounced from him (never lost another vehicle, or Quantum Shielding), and more Whack-a-Mole with the CCBs. At the end (which was turn 6), I had re-contested one of my Dep-zone objectives, and scored all of his.
Win;
Me by KP and VC #1, he scored VC#2.
Overall, I got what I wanted/needed.
1st, 3 fun opponents/games.
I’ve had little opportunity for such in the last few months. In fact, the last time I played was the January EGC. I have a tendency to forget the brotherhood that can be found on the tabletop, and needed the reconnection with my hobby and friends.
2nd, playing outside the box.
I needed to get away from the 3+ paradigm for a bit, and funky-xenos armies are usually my favorite route to go for that.
3rd, finding my weak-points.
I did that, in abundance.
(with all my games ending on turn 6, I got what I consider the ‘ideal’ number of turns for testing each time)
I found I built for the current Mech-meta out of reflex. I wasn’t thinking about it per-se, but when my second and third opponent’s had NO vehicles I found myself wondering ‘what the hell am I going to do with all these anti-vehicle toys???’
Glaring weaknesses and success stories.
I am VERY glad I played against two MEQ foot lists, one very mobile with melta-spam.
It pointed out some issues, not least amongst them is difficulty dealing with a T-4 base FNP. Tesla Destructors will deal with T-3 FNP all day, but once I hit that T-4 range, I was screwed…screwed enough to produce a very dull game for poor Josh M. Coupled with his lack of understanding of the innate advantage he had, my castling made game two almost not worth him un-assing all his models. Fortunately, though nearly bored into unconsciousness until turn 5/6, he pulled a win out…so it wasn’t a total waste!
Melta is VERY punishing to AV-13 Open Top…VERY. I knew this going in, but sometimes you really need to see it in action to drive the point home.
Bubble wrap…cripes, Necrons need it.
Tricks. I intentionally went in with no ‘tricks’ (a pair of solar pulses were my only concession to the tricksy-crons…and that was only the pair that insures ‘crons don’t fold to an IG/GK/Krak-Fang alpha strike). I said it with the advent of the ‘dex, they are a warmahordes/MTG style army. They NEED tricks/combos/synergy more than most armies. Ok, cool. I now accept it on a fundamental level. It bothers me a bit, because I don’t like being forced (so to speak) to play certain styles/builds/units…but if I am going to choose to pick up the tool, I have to learn how to use it or quit whining (and boy, can I whine).
Transports are expensive in this army, stoopeed expensive. Again, I knew this…but building lists for these guys just beats it over my head every time. BUT, this also gives me some further clues into 6e (assuming Necrons aren’t going to be the truly-gimped edition-crossover codex). I don’t think they are a waste, but it pushes the transport+unit paradigm in a different/new direction. This is GOOD for the meta, and the game as a whole…and with tuning, I think this may wind up being the best mech+foot hybrid army currently available.
Scythes+Arks is NOT very synergistic (not a total fail yet, but not complimentary). Again, something I suspected going in…but application proves or disproves theory. I consistently found myself trying to figure out how to chase my scythes with non-fast Ark/Barge pairings, or protect my vulnerable scythes as they presented easier/softer targets than my Arks. NEVER present your opponent with an easy choice, and utilizing those vehicles together can/does.
Catacomb Command barges. They can be stymied, but jeebus they pay out when they aren’t.
Game 1, they accounted for my highest percentage of vehicle damage/kills.
Game 2, they couldn’t get close enough to the melta-spam to pay out, but they threatened enough to manage movement a bit.
Game 3, they crippled an armies ability to engage me at range…or keep the range open.
I can see a singleton being nothing but a counter element, and don’t think it would be great in that role…but a pair of F#@^-Lords on barges playing whack-a-mole is very nice! Now to stop wasting points on;
Tachyon arrows…grrr. Wanted to play with them, did, and regretted it almost from the git-go. Missed with EVERY shot all three games. Discard! To get use out of them, I would need to face a mech opponent…WITH decent tank(s)…and probably pair them with a Chrono-tek. Okay, not happening…NEXT!
Courts. Not really much to say here, they rock…even without mechanized opponents in two of my games, I knew going in they were going to stay in my lists…and no change there.
TESLAAAAAAA! Love the exploding d6 mechanic. Again, something I liked already…but confirmation of a positive bias is always nice. I am still iffy on Anni-Barges. Average first game, nearly useless game two, but exploderpated everything they even looked at game 3. Iffy in the sense that I don’t think they are a panacea, and likely won’t field 3 of them consistently, but 2 did the job when needed. Again, I had a problem with FNP T-4+ units, but really a threat to everything else a-foot…and HOPING that someday I manage to face an AV-11 mobile force to check their damage output there. I DID keep forgetting to check the whole d6 Arc rule (after game 1), so that may be skewing my perception a bit negatively.
I have to bow to convention. I think I need either Scarabs or Wraiths. GAH, I hate that…I like choices, not choices to accept weakness.
I am going to try a few other avenues first, though.
Damn, yesterday was FUN!
(oh, came in 7th even after that terrible game-2 showing…and still had a flarkin BLAST!)
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Confusing Interceptor?
Ok,
so I look at my interceptors (one finished unit, another just built) and I like the idea of more 'compact' weaponry.
I know it's applying logic to a fantasy environment, but jump/teleport units seem to need something a bit more manageable.
So I took the falchions, and utilized only one to represent NFW's on my sword-toting dudeages.
I'm just curious to know if people think this would be too confusing on the table, or if having only the one hand wielding it (as opposed to the pair) would deliver the message while NOT violating (the majority of people's perception of) WYSIWYG?
(I also realized that I can also put a small magnet on a thigh and one of the sheathed combat blades from a LS Storm's scout bits sprue to turn these guys into dual purpose representations)
If this works out (aesthetically, after painting) I'll have to grab a box or two for converting shorter halberds. No idea yet for the psycannon, but they're not wielding two weapons so that may be a logical wash. I'll leave the hammers 'as is'...the Sgt. should be a special type of bad-arse!
so I look at my interceptors (one finished unit, another just built) and I like the idea of more 'compact' weaponry.
I know it's applying logic to a fantasy environment, but jump/teleport units seem to need something a bit more manageable.
So I took the falchions, and utilized only one to represent NFW's on my sword-toting dudeages.
I'm just curious to know if people think this would be too confusing on the table, or if having only the one hand wielding it (as opposed to the pair) would deliver the message while NOT violating (the majority of people's perception of) WYSIWYG?
(I also realized that I can also put a small magnet on a thigh and one of the sheathed combat blades from a LS Storm's scout bits sprue to turn these guys into dual purpose representations)
If this works out (aesthetically, after painting) I'll have to grab a box or two for converting shorter halberds. No idea yet for the psycannon, but they're not wielding two weapons so that may be a logical wash. I'll leave the hammers 'as is'...the Sgt. should be a special type of bad-arse!
Friday, February 17, 2012
When good blogs go bad...
So,
when a Blog gets too big for its britches, tripe can occasionally come flowing out.
Recently, an article appeared on a Blog nearly everyone knows referencing vehicle movement and how one writer doesn't...well... like the actual rules, apparently.
It was an entire video on how an accepted movement convention was 'illegal'.
The video, following article (and days worth of argumentative thread within said post) continued to support the position that anyone who supported this movement convention is 'cheating'.
Though not spoken with every line, or argument against, the clear intent was there...and the word was bandied about more than once.
CHEAT.
That's a harsh word to throw out in print. Quite a bit of harsh, when referencing how (at least in my neck of the woods...which involves a tri-state area, some further traveling, and a larger pool of friends about the nation) everyone I know plays.
Condescending when considering it is being stated in near absolutes with little room for disagreement, instead of discussion of how the writer feels the general public may be 'off the mark' and needs to discuss the possibility that the rules should be looked at with a fresh eye.
The verbal meandering I have just finished has a point, of sorts...but also assumes the reader understands(has read) the post/article/video I am referring to.
Suffice it to say, the argument arose from deployment tactics based on this rule;
BRB pg 57, last paragraph left column;
"Vehicles turn by pivoting on the spot about their centre-point, rather than 'wheeling' round. Turning does not reduce the vehicles move...."
You deploy, on the line (let's assume 'pitched battle') broadside. On your first turn, you pivot and charge. Simple, yes? For some units, this garners an additional few inches. For open topped transports, it forces your opponent to deploy a little shallower to avoid potential first turn charges.
Honestly, it is a method to manage your opponent's deployment a little. Not immensely, but a little. Throughout the game, it also makes your opponent give a slightly wider birth to units...again, forcing greater thought about maneuver.
It's been a VERY long time since I have even seen this argument come up (years).
I really thought it was 'all cleared up' within the community.
Yet here we are, in the twilight of 5e, and it's stirred up a shite-storm on one of the 'biggest' blogs out there,
and that's having a ripple effect across other forums...and lending credence to 'arguments' from those that never really liked the fact that the rules functioned in a fashion that they disagree with (generally with a 'but it never worked/shouldn't work/RAI isn't' kind of flippancy).
So, twofold query...for those that actually read me out here ;-)
A) does anyone I know think that this is an illegal maneuver (the aforementioned deployment/pivot tactic)? I really want to know if it's just my 'pool' that accepts this with little/no misunderstanding
B) if you are a 'Big online Light, Shining' in the internet blogosphere, are you obligated to edit/manage your postings clearly in order to insure your larger reader base is not misled by less/incorrectly informed meanderings?
well???
when a Blog gets too big for its britches, tripe can occasionally come flowing out.
Recently, an article appeared on a Blog nearly everyone knows referencing vehicle movement and how one writer doesn't...well... like the actual rules, apparently.
It was an entire video on how an accepted movement convention was 'illegal'.
The video, following article (and days worth of argumentative thread within said post) continued to support the position that anyone who supported this movement convention is 'cheating'.
Though not spoken with every line, or argument against, the clear intent was there...and the word was bandied about more than once.
CHEAT.
That's a harsh word to throw out in print. Quite a bit of harsh, when referencing how (at least in my neck of the woods...which involves a tri-state area, some further traveling, and a larger pool of friends about the nation) everyone I know plays.
Condescending when considering it is being stated in near absolutes with little room for disagreement, instead of discussion of how the writer feels the general public may be 'off the mark' and needs to discuss the possibility that the rules should be looked at with a fresh eye.
The verbal meandering I have just finished has a point, of sorts...but also assumes the reader understands(has read) the post/article/video I am referring to.
Suffice it to say, the argument arose from deployment tactics based on this rule;
BRB pg 57, last paragraph left column;
"Vehicles turn by pivoting on the spot about their centre-point, rather than 'wheeling' round. Turning does not reduce the vehicles move...."
You deploy, on the line (let's assume 'pitched battle') broadside. On your first turn, you pivot and charge. Simple, yes? For some units, this garners an additional few inches. For open topped transports, it forces your opponent to deploy a little shallower to avoid potential first turn charges.
Honestly, it is a method to manage your opponent's deployment a little. Not immensely, but a little. Throughout the game, it also makes your opponent give a slightly wider birth to units...again, forcing greater thought about maneuver.
It's been a VERY long time since I have even seen this argument come up (years).
I really thought it was 'all cleared up' within the community.
Yet here we are, in the twilight of 5e, and it's stirred up a shite-storm on one of the 'biggest' blogs out there,
and that's having a ripple effect across other forums...and lending credence to 'arguments' from those that never really liked the fact that the rules functioned in a fashion that they disagree with (generally with a 'but it never worked/shouldn't work/RAI isn't' kind of flippancy).
So, twofold query...for those that actually read me out here ;-)
A) does anyone I know think that this is an illegal maneuver (the aforementioned deployment/pivot tactic)? I really want to know if it's just my 'pool' that accepts this with little/no misunderstanding
B) if you are a 'Big online Light, Shining' in the internet blogosphere, are you obligated to edit/manage your postings clearly in order to insure your larger reader base is not misled by less/incorrectly informed meanderings?
well???
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Long time, no type!
Okay, so wow...I thought I was busy before, but I haven't had a moment to sit down and type...until I looked at my blog(wasteland) and saw, NOTHING for January.
I had a desire to get in something every week or two, and instead I missed a whole bloody month.
The Baby rocks, but wow does time fly now.
So, frustration abounds.
I don't have time for pick-up/friendly games it seems, so I've been attending only tournaments (and not many at that, won't even be making one in Feb at all probably).
I grew frustrated with the GK incarnation I had settled on sometime in Nov/Dec, after a tournament in Cincy...way too point-and-click, no thought.
I went to another one in Jan, and brought a fun/competitive list (mixed Razor-BA). I had a blast, but realized I had missed the mark (too much of a blind-spot) and got rick-rolled by an Ork list. That frustrated me further. Not so much the loss, but the fact that it wasn't even close. I don't lose that egregiously, not very often if at all.
So back to the drawing board, and back to my GK.
I have these wonderful units/models, but eschewed their use in favor of more efficient units.
I want to go back to these great models, but still field something with potency...
enter;
Mordrak and his Ghost Knights!
(yeah, I shouldn't have used the flash on this next one...but baby-meltdown has me using what I managed to take)
The list is shaping up in this direction, with play in the points to go in different directions...and a likelihood of replacing some/all of the Henchmen units with GKSS for testing further down the pipe.
-Mordrak
5x Ghost Knights (3x NFH, 1x NDH, 1x NFW)
-Coteaz
-Venerable Psifleman
-Vindicare
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Nemesis Dreadknight
(PT,Hvy Incinerator)
-Nemesis Dreadknight
(PT,Hvy Incinerator)
-Psifleman
(1850pts)
The Vindicare is a filler, for now, as the tweaks I have put me precisely 145pts shy of 1850pts (he has been a hit-or-miss for me, but on games he hits...he HITS).
Right now, it's a list to deliver my fun units and still (hopefully) put out a beat-down...but at the same time, not be so overwhelming (in the firepower department) that it seems less like a game and more like a desperate race to see how many dice I can throw down in one turn.
I had a desire to get in something every week or two, and instead I missed a whole bloody month.
The Baby rocks, but wow does time fly now.
So, frustration abounds.
I don't have time for pick-up/friendly games it seems, so I've been attending only tournaments (and not many at that, won't even be making one in Feb at all probably).
I grew frustrated with the GK incarnation I had settled on sometime in Nov/Dec, after a tournament in Cincy...way too point-and-click, no thought.
I went to another one in Jan, and brought a fun/competitive list (mixed Razor-BA). I had a blast, but realized I had missed the mark (too much of a blind-spot) and got rick-rolled by an Ork list. That frustrated me further. Not so much the loss, but the fact that it wasn't even close. I don't lose that egregiously, not very often if at all.
So back to the drawing board, and back to my GK.
I have these wonderful units/models, but eschewed their use in favor of more efficient units.
I want to go back to these great models, but still field something with potency...
enter;
Mordrak and his Ghost Knights!
(yeah, I shouldn't have used the flash on this next one...but baby-meltdown has me using what I managed to take)
The list is shaping up in this direction, with play in the points to go in different directions...and a likelihood of replacing some/all of the Henchmen units with GKSS for testing further down the pipe.
-Mordrak
5x Ghost Knights (3x NFH, 1x NDH, 1x NFW)
-Coteaz
-Venerable Psifleman
-Vindicare
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Psiback
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Henchmen (x3)
Chimera(hvy flamer)
-Nemesis Dreadknight
(PT,Hvy Incinerator)
-Nemesis Dreadknight
(PT,Hvy Incinerator)
-Psifleman
(1850pts)
The Vindicare is a filler, for now, as the tweaks I have put me precisely 145pts shy of 1850pts (he has been a hit-or-miss for me, but on games he hits...he HITS).
Right now, it's a list to deliver my fun units and still (hopefully) put out a beat-down...but at the same time, not be so overwhelming (in the firepower department) that it seems less like a game and more like a desperate race to see how many dice I can throw down in one turn.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!
To everyone,
and to reflect on the sense of the season.
I have been busy, and unproductive, of late...for various reasons, some of which are very good.
Here's hoping 2012 gives us all the good fortune and peace we could hope for. (excepting on the tabletop, where we hope for a brief respite before returning to an eternity of war in the 41st millennium!)
and to reflect on the sense of the season.
I have been busy, and unproductive, of late...for various reasons, some of which are very good.
Here's hoping 2012 gives us all the good fortune and peace we could hope for. (excepting on the tabletop, where we hope for a brief respite before returning to an eternity of war in the 41st millennium!)
Sunday, December 18, 2011
KrystalKeep Combat Patrol, and a fond farewell....
So,
this weekend marked the final yearly 'Combat Patrol' tournament at the KrystalKeep.
As usual, Jim Williams ran a fast, furious and funtastic event full of much cursing, screaming and gnashing of tzeentch (and, of course, smiles).
Many a brave soldier(xenos, infidel, traitor)died yesterday, only to rise again shortly thereafter to wage the war eternal in the 40k 'oonivers'.
Final standings showed how strong, balanced and fair players and scenarios were, with a 4 way split for 1st!
Edge T (TAU)
John W (Orks)
Stephen (?) (Orks)
Nick S (Orks)
I had a blast, as is usual for Jim's events (and events that have been run for years up at the Keep).
But alas, this marks an end.
December 30th, the store will be closing for the last time.
Rick, Raj and the others who have contributed to the store, with their heart and souls, have finally had enough.
The economy, coupled with other major, and minor, factors beyond their control have taken their toll.
KrystalKeep has kept its doors open throughout the most trying of economic times, worse than any I have seen personally.
Those times began, for me, over 3 years ago in Fla. With the collapsing economy there, I found myself laid off (twice in two years), along with my wife. I moved to Ohio 3 years ago, fearing the loss of my hobby and friends due to a new environment.
I should never have feared.
I discovered the Keep quickly, and moved in...realizing that I had found a new 'home' in more ways than one.
The staff became friends, the players became friends, and within 6 months I felt as though I had regained my old community, with all new faces and ideas! I could never replace the 'old' guard, but I could sure start with the 'new'...and it was a grand beginning.
I fell in love with the community all over again.
I wanted to share that particular anecdote, not to make the changes coming about me...but to emphasize the impact the Keep has had on a great deal of people.
A club, a forum, an arena AND a place where 'everybody knows your name'.
EVERYONE I know, who frequented the place (and there were many in my 3 years of attendance) saw KrystalKeep as a 'home away from home'. A place to leave behind the trials and tribulations of life, sit down with a mental 'pint', and just be.
I have known few places with this sense of family attached to such a business, and doubt I will know many more.
I know I'm going to miss all the weekends, all the events and all the 'BS' sessions over our little 'toy soldiers'.
All these things that were made so much more satisfying due to the environment within which they were set.
I want to wish the guys who ran our little home all the best luck in their future endeavors, thank them from the bottom of my heart for providing all the joy they did.
I wish to thank all the players who accepted me from the git-go, and all the heart they put into their play, and their friendships.
And I wish to thank all those who sacrificed their personal time, effort and heart to run the events that kept us all in the loop!
a hearty salute to the end of an era, and now....
"Dice Down, gentlemen...Dice Down"
this weekend marked the final yearly 'Combat Patrol' tournament at the KrystalKeep.
As usual, Jim Williams ran a fast, furious and funtastic event full of much cursing, screaming and gnashing of tzeentch (and, of course, smiles).
Many a brave soldier(xenos, infidel, traitor)died yesterday, only to rise again shortly thereafter to wage the war eternal in the 40k 'oonivers'.
Final standings showed how strong, balanced and fair players and scenarios were, with a 4 way split for 1st!
Edge T (TAU)
John W (Orks)
Stephen (?) (Orks)
Nick S (Orks)
I had a blast, as is usual for Jim's events (and events that have been run for years up at the Keep).
But alas, this marks an end.
December 30th, the store will be closing for the last time.
Rick, Raj and the others who have contributed to the store, with their heart and souls, have finally had enough.
The economy, coupled with other major, and minor, factors beyond their control have taken their toll.
KrystalKeep has kept its doors open throughout the most trying of economic times, worse than any I have seen personally.
Those times began, for me, over 3 years ago in Fla. With the collapsing economy there, I found myself laid off (twice in two years), along with my wife. I moved to Ohio 3 years ago, fearing the loss of my hobby and friends due to a new environment.
I should never have feared.
I discovered the Keep quickly, and moved in...realizing that I had found a new 'home' in more ways than one.
The staff became friends, the players became friends, and within 6 months I felt as though I had regained my old community, with all new faces and ideas! I could never replace the 'old' guard, but I could sure start with the 'new'...and it was a grand beginning.
I fell in love with the community all over again.
I wanted to share that particular anecdote, not to make the changes coming about me...but to emphasize the impact the Keep has had on a great deal of people.
A club, a forum, an arena AND a place where 'everybody knows your name'.
EVERYONE I know, who frequented the place (and there were many in my 3 years of attendance) saw KrystalKeep as a 'home away from home'. A place to leave behind the trials and tribulations of life, sit down with a mental 'pint', and just be.
I have known few places with this sense of family attached to such a business, and doubt I will know many more.
I know I'm going to miss all the weekends, all the events and all the 'BS' sessions over our little 'toy soldiers'.
All these things that were made so much more satisfying due to the environment within which they were set.
I want to wish the guys who ran our little home all the best luck in their future endeavors, thank them from the bottom of my heart for providing all the joy they did.
I wish to thank all the players who accepted me from the git-go, and all the heart they put into their play, and their friendships.
And I wish to thank all those who sacrificed their personal time, effort and heart to run the events that kept us all in the loop!
a hearty salute to the end of an era, and now....
"Dice Down, gentlemen...Dice Down"
Monday, December 12, 2011
Wraiths Wraiths everywhere, and not a model to build!
Okay, so whadda ya do?
No, really...what do you do, when GW supplies you with a grand unit that you really can't get models for AND they tease you with artwork that appears to be model representative, and looks great?
Well, I started hacking...
it isn't a grand conversion, more a desperate kit-bash, to produce a Wraith for play...but,
Taking parts from the seat assembly of an Annihilation Barge (don't like the pilots on the vehicle), sprinkle in Triarch Praetorian bits for a Torso, arms from the warriors that come with the Ark kits and add the repair feeder to same and voila, something VAGUELY passable...and 100% GW bitz boyz and gels!
I started with a triarch, as it has all the 'techy' elements that would make them jump infantry. Just seemed to fit, somehow.
This is a WIP, the first model in a unit of 4.
I will obviously be cleaning up joints, getting rid of a few things that seemed a good idea at the time, as I progress through the unit.
Any thoughts on improvement are always welcome!
No, really...what do you do, when GW supplies you with a grand unit that you really can't get models for AND they tease you with artwork that appears to be model representative, and looks great?
Well, I started hacking...
it isn't a grand conversion, more a desperate kit-bash, to produce a Wraith for play...but,
Taking parts from the seat assembly of an Annihilation Barge (don't like the pilots on the vehicle), sprinkle in Triarch Praetorian bits for a Torso, arms from the warriors that come with the Ark kits and add the repair feeder to same and voila, something VAGUELY passable...and 100% GW bitz boyz and gels!
I started with a triarch, as it has all the 'techy' elements that would make them jump infantry. Just seemed to fit, somehow.
This is a WIP, the first model in a unit of 4.
I will obviously be cleaning up joints, getting rid of a few things that seemed a good idea at the time, as I progress through the unit.
Any thoughts on improvement are always welcome!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
I, Necron...
This is my first guest writing for 'The Emperor's Codex' (http://emperorscodex.blogspot.com/)
As my spawn has consumed my brain, and time, I find myself with little consciousness to write. What I want to write, I keep fiddling with and cannot commit to this blog with consistency...sooo, a friend has a blog, I like his blog, and with a psuedo-deadline/commitment to someone else's endeavor, I might actually write the 40k stuff I like more often! (though as per the norm, I mirror anything I write elsewhere here).
A wee bit ago (as in 6 weeks) I was accosted by a new addition to my household.
She (the squirming ball of stink that is my daughter) has infringed on all things 'hobby' and 'sleep', putting me off my feed...thus delaying this, my first writing for Darkmorals. So introductions;
Hi, my name's Mike and I have a problem, plastic-crack(or resin, or metal, but mostly plastic).
For as long as he'll tolerate my inane ramblings and self aggrandizing rants about the hobby we love, I will write guest abominati...articles for the Emperor's Codex!
So, now that the unnecessary is finished, to the meat! (note that this meat is for the masses who have the codex. as I don't have the inclination to write a unit by unit/rule by rule review...it'll be done to death elsewhere...I'm writing this from a sense of changes in the wind for the Necrons, and hopefully the overall environment. it's a review of direction and expectations, not rules/mechanics.)
NECRONS
The codex started as a little White Dwarf raider list (back when WD produced interesting stuff, and didn't cost you a car-payment to keep up with), grew into a list that truly frightened people for a bit and finally slid into ignominy as Imperial after Imperial Codex drove them under, with the help of 5th edition.
Enter the now.
The new 'dex has given us a few things, amongst them a new 'paradigm' of play.
-a base statline that is unique in the current 40k environ (some orkish stats, some marine stats, and the ability to resurrect regardless of the punishment meted out), AV 13 transport spam, and environmental manipulations out the Wazoo.
-the slow and steady advance of an implacable foe, under the umbrella of almost 'mystical' technologies that defy logic (in a fluff sense) and sidestep many simple/reflexive countermeasures.
-an entirely new 'universe' of ideas to work into the ever(if slow) changing 40k universe.
I shall elucidate.
-Paradigm shift.
The basic Necron statline (troops, and other related units) have changed from a MEQ line with low init, to it's own unique pattern. Variation between units, both troops and other categories, play hob with the normal 'cut and paste' mentality many modern 'dexes have. Beyond Ldr, abilities and Attacks, most armies revolve around a very clear performance pattern.
On the surface, Necrons seem to as well. But an inconsistent Save characteristic coupled with 'Reanimation Protocols'(WBB's new clothes), unit regenerating transports and Res orbs (that are expensive to spam, but can be if you really wish to), your opponent(s) will be making shooting/assaulting decisions based on a wider than normal spectrum of hurdles. Conversely, it will require greater acumen/thought on your part, as a Necron player, to fully capitalize on a synergistic mix of these unit patterns.
This adds elements of choice and commitment to your opponent's play and projections, and any time you can increase uncertainty or commitment decisions you also increase the chances for error.
Armour 13 is the new 'norm' for these guys. Their primary vehicles are slow, relative to other open topped skimmers etc, but tough.
Quantum shielding adds the +2 to AV 11 skimmer's front and side facings, but is lost with any penetrating hit. But wait, how often does an open-topped skimmer survive a penetrating hit in our melta/AP-1 happy environment of today? Yeah, it happens...but not enough for that 'downside' to matter. I'll take the fading AV-13 at least equal to a consistent AV-12.
AV-13 is quite tough, coupled with the devastating weaponry and open topped fusillades that can be delivered from the core vehicles in the list. Steady advance with punishing fire and resilience? Oh yeah!
Armour Degradation adds to the shift in mechanics. With Entropic Strike, multiple options exist in the codex to actually REDUCE an enemy vehicle's armour values or even negate armour saves on models. Though the latter is of negligible value against most opponents, the former can be devastating. Scarabs have this, finally elevating them back to not only viable but actually important in the greater scheme of the Necron strategy. Enemies projecting their tin-cans into midfield, counting on them to 'park' on the center, may well watch their vehicles truly become 'paper-tigers'.
-Tortoise and Hare.
Slow and steady wins the race.
This Codex has the potential to be an abject lesson in superior technology and attrition.
The Necrons have characters and wargear that produce night-fight conditions on a whim, nullify said conditions for their turn, other abilities to interfere with deep striking units (albeit not grand, can punish close in strikes) and finally slow down incoming assaults.
Working with Reanimation Protocols and AV-13, these manipulations make for a steady grinding advance that dictates enemy engagement through control, NOT maneuver/speed. Unlike IG and Tau, though, the army steadily advances instead of just(generally speaking) parking and blasting. That is partially a function of ranges, which overlap effectively in the 12-36" bracket, but focus at the 24" break for consistent punishment. Some units do reach out and touch extremely well, but they either have to get very close to do it, are exposed small units of Jump Infantry or are limited in effectiveness on the move (Doom Scythe, Destroyers and Doomsday Ark respectively...the 3 D's?).
-new Universe.
Fluff, now we have it!
Necrons really never had a developed fluff. The WD list from way back when was anemic, pretty much just an excuse to add models to the line in a growing game. It was interesting, and hinted at things, but never developed a real picture of these 'robots'.
The first true Codex made a race that didn't quite fit. The fact such a numerically small race, that was NOT devastatingly powerful on a model-by model basis, could have been instrumental in the downfall of the 'Old Ones'...and a major threat to the galaxy in 'modern times'...made so little sense. The characterization of near drone like slaves also lent little to the mindset of 'role-playing' your generals, something that keeps the hobbyist interested in developing characterful models, and kids introduced to the game intrigued.
This Codex changes all of that, adding a depth that frankly I didn't expect. Now, amongst other things, there really are legitimate reasons for civil-wars. There's a greater understanding of the 'War in Heaven'. There is a deeper delving into the 40k history and universe. And with little or no fluff to 'violate' in the past, even Matt W can't be vilified (this time) for ret-conning the 'history' we have grown to love! (so to shore up DrkM's last 'rant', shut up with yer whining...I've loved Necrons since 2nd Ed, I AM a Matt Ward basher/hater, and I LOVE this change).
This Codex review was brought to you by the letter 'F', as in Fan-Boy!
I don't normally laud GW, and have grown to become one of those bitter addicts who can't put down the plastic-pipe he keeps puffing on.
I have had Necrons in my army rotation since near the end of 2nd Edition, and after what Matt W did to my beloved BA and GK, I FEARED what was coming. Dreaded it, in fact...BUT, I was pleasantly surprised.
With good choices available in every Force Org slot, mixtures of firepower ranges, types, and a dearth of Melta I believe the Codex to be balanced and strong.
I DO believe that in the current 5e environment, they will be a middle-ground competitive (mid-tier competitive for those that believe in tiers) list after the dust settles and people begin to adapt (lascannon additions replacing some missile spam to nerf Quantum Shielding, more aggressive forward projection play etc etc), but I see some more subtle hints under the wrapper of 6e to come...and if they don't do what they did to Daemons and other edition-transitional codices, 6e may truly become the 'Edition of Xenos' (or at least baddies).
Thanks for listening to my rant, and if any commentors want to ask me to go into detail on my 'sense of things' in the 'dex, I will answer....but it's not my blog, and I've already expounded too much to actually do a rule-by-rule/unit-by-unit assessment in the main body!
As my spawn has consumed my brain, and time, I find myself with little consciousness to write. What I want to write, I keep fiddling with and cannot commit to this blog with consistency...sooo, a friend has a blog, I like his blog, and with a psuedo-deadline/commitment to someone else's endeavor, I might actually write the 40k stuff I like more often! (though as per the norm, I mirror anything I write elsewhere here).
A wee bit ago (as in 6 weeks) I was accosted by a new addition to my household.
She (the squirming ball of stink that is my daughter) has infringed on all things 'hobby' and 'sleep', putting me off my feed...thus delaying this, my first writing for Darkmorals. So introductions;
Hi, my name's Mike and I have a problem, plastic-crack(or resin, or metal, but mostly plastic).
For as long as he'll tolerate my inane ramblings and self aggrandizing rants about the hobby we love, I will write guest abominati...articles for the Emperor's Codex!
So, now that the unnecessary is finished, to the meat! (note that this meat is for the masses who have the codex. as I don't have the inclination to write a unit by unit/rule by rule review...it'll be done to death elsewhere...I'm writing this from a sense of changes in the wind for the Necrons, and hopefully the overall environment. it's a review of direction and expectations, not rules/mechanics.)
NECRONS
The codex started as a little White Dwarf raider list (back when WD produced interesting stuff, and didn't cost you a car-payment to keep up with), grew into a list that truly frightened people for a bit and finally slid into ignominy as Imperial after Imperial Codex drove them under, with the help of 5th edition.
Enter the now.
The new 'dex has given us a few things, amongst them a new 'paradigm' of play.
-a base statline that is unique in the current 40k environ (some orkish stats, some marine stats, and the ability to resurrect regardless of the punishment meted out), AV 13 transport spam, and environmental manipulations out the Wazoo.
-the slow and steady advance of an implacable foe, under the umbrella of almost 'mystical' technologies that defy logic (in a fluff sense) and sidestep many simple/reflexive countermeasures.
-an entirely new 'universe' of ideas to work into the ever(if slow) changing 40k universe.
I shall elucidate.
-Paradigm shift.
The basic Necron statline (troops, and other related units) have changed from a MEQ line with low init, to it's own unique pattern. Variation between units, both troops and other categories, play hob with the normal 'cut and paste' mentality many modern 'dexes have. Beyond Ldr, abilities and Attacks, most armies revolve around a very clear performance pattern.
On the surface, Necrons seem to as well. But an inconsistent Save characteristic coupled with 'Reanimation Protocols'(WBB's new clothes), unit regenerating transports and Res orbs (that are expensive to spam, but can be if you really wish to), your opponent(s) will be making shooting/assaulting decisions based on a wider than normal spectrum of hurdles. Conversely, it will require greater acumen/thought on your part, as a Necron player, to fully capitalize on a synergistic mix of these unit patterns.
This adds elements of choice and commitment to your opponent's play and projections, and any time you can increase uncertainty or commitment decisions you also increase the chances for error.
Armour 13 is the new 'norm' for these guys. Their primary vehicles are slow, relative to other open topped skimmers etc, but tough.
Quantum shielding adds the +2 to AV 11 skimmer's front and side facings, but is lost with any penetrating hit. But wait, how often does an open-topped skimmer survive a penetrating hit in our melta/AP-1 happy environment of today? Yeah, it happens...but not enough for that 'downside' to matter. I'll take the fading AV-13 at least equal to a consistent AV-12.
AV-13 is quite tough, coupled with the devastating weaponry and open topped fusillades that can be delivered from the core vehicles in the list. Steady advance with punishing fire and resilience? Oh yeah!
Armour Degradation adds to the shift in mechanics. With Entropic Strike, multiple options exist in the codex to actually REDUCE an enemy vehicle's armour values or even negate armour saves on models. Though the latter is of negligible value against most opponents, the former can be devastating. Scarabs have this, finally elevating them back to not only viable but actually important in the greater scheme of the Necron strategy. Enemies projecting their tin-cans into midfield, counting on them to 'park' on the center, may well watch their vehicles truly become 'paper-tigers'.
-Tortoise and Hare.
Slow and steady wins the race.
This Codex has the potential to be an abject lesson in superior technology and attrition.
The Necrons have characters and wargear that produce night-fight conditions on a whim, nullify said conditions for their turn, other abilities to interfere with deep striking units (albeit not grand, can punish close in strikes) and finally slow down incoming assaults.
Working with Reanimation Protocols and AV-13, these manipulations make for a steady grinding advance that dictates enemy engagement through control, NOT maneuver/speed. Unlike IG and Tau, though, the army steadily advances instead of just(generally speaking) parking and blasting. That is partially a function of ranges, which overlap effectively in the 12-36" bracket, but focus at the 24" break for consistent punishment. Some units do reach out and touch extremely well, but they either have to get very close to do it, are exposed small units of Jump Infantry or are limited in effectiveness on the move (Doom Scythe, Destroyers and Doomsday Ark respectively...the 3 D's?).
-new Universe.
Fluff, now we have it!
Necrons really never had a developed fluff. The WD list from way back when was anemic, pretty much just an excuse to add models to the line in a growing game. It was interesting, and hinted at things, but never developed a real picture of these 'robots'.
The first true Codex made a race that didn't quite fit. The fact such a numerically small race, that was NOT devastatingly powerful on a model-by model basis, could have been instrumental in the downfall of the 'Old Ones'...and a major threat to the galaxy in 'modern times'...made so little sense. The characterization of near drone like slaves also lent little to the mindset of 'role-playing' your generals, something that keeps the hobbyist interested in developing characterful models, and kids introduced to the game intrigued.
This Codex changes all of that, adding a depth that frankly I didn't expect. Now, amongst other things, there really are legitimate reasons for civil-wars. There's a greater understanding of the 'War in Heaven'. There is a deeper delving into the 40k history and universe. And with little or no fluff to 'violate' in the past, even Matt W can't be vilified (this time) for ret-conning the 'history' we have grown to love! (so to shore up DrkM's last 'rant', shut up with yer whining...I've loved Necrons since 2nd Ed, I AM a Matt Ward basher/hater, and I LOVE this change).
This Codex review was brought to you by the letter 'F', as in Fan-Boy!
I don't normally laud GW, and have grown to become one of those bitter addicts who can't put down the plastic-pipe he keeps puffing on.
I have had Necrons in my army rotation since near the end of 2nd Edition, and after what Matt W did to my beloved BA and GK, I FEARED what was coming. Dreaded it, in fact...BUT, I was pleasantly surprised.
With good choices available in every Force Org slot, mixtures of firepower ranges, types, and a dearth of Melta I believe the Codex to be balanced and strong.
I DO believe that in the current 5e environment, they will be a middle-ground competitive (mid-tier competitive for those that believe in tiers) list after the dust settles and people begin to adapt (lascannon additions replacing some missile spam to nerf Quantum Shielding, more aggressive forward projection play etc etc), but I see some more subtle hints under the wrapper of 6e to come...and if they don't do what they did to Daemons and other edition-transitional codices, 6e may truly become the 'Edition of Xenos' (or at least baddies).
Thanks for listening to my rant, and if any commentors want to ask me to go into detail on my 'sense of things' in the 'dex, I will answer....but it's not my blog, and I've already expounded too much to actually do a rule-by-rule/unit-by-unit assessment in the main body!
Sunday, October 2, 2011
the Three Laws...
1st law of Baby-otics;
an infant shall not enable rest, nor through inaction, allow a parent sleep.
2nd law of Baby-otics;
an infant shall not understand adult commands, excepting where this would conflict with the first law (thus allowing blessed sleep).
3rd law of Baby-otics;
an infant shall not allow its diaper to be changed, excepting times when this will impinge upon parental down-time, thus avoiding conflict with the first and second laws (lest she enable blessed blessed sleep).
an infant shall not enable rest, nor through inaction, allow a parent sleep.
2nd law of Baby-otics;
an infant shall not understand adult commands, excepting where this would conflict with the first law (thus allowing blessed sleep).
3rd law of Baby-otics;
an infant shall not allow its diaper to be changed, excepting times when this will impinge upon parental down-time, thus avoiding conflict with the first and second laws (lest she enable blessed blessed sleep).
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Ard Boyz-the Games (or 'how I stopped worrying, and learned to love the dice')
Okay, so the Venue was good...now we'll look at the games.
I brought my DE, final incarnation looking something akin to this;
Azdrubael Vect
Haemonc (venom blade/crucible of mal/liquifier)
3 Trueborn (2x Dark Lance)
Venom (kitted)
3 Trueborn (2x Dark Lance)
Venom (kitted)
3 Trueborn (3x Blaster)
Venom (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wyches (Agonizer/Haywire Grenades/Snet+Imp)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wyches (Agonizer/Haywire Grenades/Snet+Imp)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wracks (liquifier)
Raider (kitted)
Razorwing (kitted/SCannon)
Razorwing (kitted/Scannon)
Ravager (kitted)
(kitted=Shock Prow/Flickerfield/Nightshield on vehicles that could take them)
I was supplied with copies of the lists from my last two opponents, my first having a printer malf and writing his list down upon arrival(having only one copy on hand). I appear to have lost them, so they are ALL being pulled from memory.
________________________________________________________
Round 1;
Scenario; Messenger (you know the drill, VPs with bonuses for the Messenger.)
Deployment; Pitched Battle
Opponent 1; swiss army knife Mahreenz! ('nilla marines)
Captain on bike with Relic Blade
Libby with Gate and Null Zone
8(?)x THSS terminators
3 Units of 10 tacticals (rhino)
2 Units of Bikes (full kit, with MM/Melta)
3 Units of 10 devs w/4x lascannon (razorbacks)
Thunderfire cannon
Okay, dispersed...but the thunderfire could actually give me guff. CSquadded Devs in his ruins (with bolster) were a significant threat as well, considering there was only ONE good piece of terrain on the board (right of center, middle deep).
He won the roll, and chose to go first...between this and his deployment, the game was over barring bad dice. It wasn't so much a true error, as a lack of understanding DE (I think). He spread out with his bikes, but cornered himself around his Rhino mounted messenger squad (which was his big Dep mistake, that and not making a biker troop the messenger).
I refused flank, opposite the one blocking piece on the board, and began to whittle him away.
It went as I expected, but not as I hoped. I killed what I needed, delivered my Messenger (while killing his prior to delivery), and kept it alive for the game. Where it came apart was turns 4/5. I just stopped killing things. Dice that loved me turns 2/3 suddenly decided they were 'used up'. I kept the win, solidly, but just die-stymied myself out of a Massacre.
My opponent, on the other hand, was there till the end and VERY fun to play. Other than his initial goofs, that he recognized on his own later in the game, he made few (if any) mistakes.
Results;
Major Victory/+2 Bonus pts.
________________________________________________________
Round 2;
Scenario; King of the hill (1 objective center, pitched battle with most scoring units within 3" controlling)
Deployment; Pitched Battle
Opponent 2; Fatecrusher Variant (daemons)
Fateweaver
Bloodthirster
4 Bloodcrushers (kitted)
4 Bloodcrushers (kitted)
6(?) Fiends (kitted)
3x 5 Plaguebearers
2x 5 Horrors (one with Changeling)
BIG unit of Seekers
BIG unit of Screamers
3x Tzeentch DPs full shooting and Ironhide
Okay, Fatecrusher variants...I don't fear these, but haven't actually played against one with my DE. Ah well, it's all about target priority. :-)
He wins the roll to go first, and...chooses 2nd. Well, he's about to have a VERY teachable(and painful) moment.
I deploy on my line with maximum dispersion...I give him one last chance, and ask him if he wishes to roll to seize. He laughs, and says 'why would I want to?'
I proceed to 'illuminate' him.
Full movement, with 36" flat outs on my 'Wings, and my movement is finished. I gave him three safe 'pockets' to deploy in. One in his left corner, one in my right and one in my left.
He kinda looks at the table with understanding dawning.
He spends the rest of the game picking up models at a rate of two or more units a turn.
Turn 3 he loses Fateweaver, and appears very irritated I didn't shoot at him until then.
The game ends (due to roll) turn 5. Unfortunately, due to his lack of understanding as to how Tank shock works (and a bad call from the TO, the only one I was aware of the whole day) I lose the massacre. He simply refused to accept how it 'should' work, and only wanted to shift units he perceived as being affected. Ah well, I'll take the major.
(note, if this seems like a less gracious writing than my prior round report, it is...this 'gentleman' argued with me a great deal after his turn 2, around when he realized he was losing. Up til then, he had questioned two of my moves and 2 ranges for shooting...both of which I was correct on...starting with turn 3 he questioned nearly every range and movement, slowing me down GREATLY. He actually FOUGHT me on the tank shock, and managed to flummox the TO. I don't like being slow-played, and merely sped up as much as I could. I think he was actually irritated the game ended 15min prior to dice-down).
Results;
Major Victory/+3 Bonus Points
_____________________________________________________
Round 3;
Scenario; Variable (random victory? the fu##???...If you aren't in the know, look it up...it was irritating. It's the scenario I did NOT want to play)
Deployment; Spearhead
Opponent 2; Dante-wing variant(blood angels)
Dante
Sang Priest
Sang Priest (jumper)
6x Terminators (LClaws)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Tacticals (razor/twin Asscannon)
Tacticals (razor/twin Asscannon)
3x MM Attk Bikes
3x MM Attk Bikes
3x MM Attk Bikes
Storm Raven (MM/Asscannon)
Dreadnought (Talons)
He won the roll, I failed to seize.
We were both tired, and at this point (with the AC out, and unseasonably warm weather, sweating our arses off) we just played.
Nothing stood out, it was sniping vs positioning. He reserved His jumpers and loaded Stormraven (Termies and Dread).
I positioned and played the game banking on two things, NOT getting the 'terrain' Victory Condition, and getting 6+ turns. (we promptly rolled 'Terrain Features' top of turn 3).
That, coupled with a ruling that Terrain pieces could not be contested on turn 4, I played 'out of position' for a turn and only managed a Minor Victory when it ended bottom of turn 5 (damn you dice).
I would LOVE to blame the ruling for throwing off my plans, but frankly...I should have spent turn 3 being a bit more aggressive. I let my inability to kill the SR until bottom of 4 influence me just a wee bit too much (counting on a turn 6) and lost the Major due to it. Sometimes, even when playing 'conservative' DE, you have to drop your balls on the table.
Results;
Minor Victory/+2 Bonus Points
________________________________________________
I wound up in 4th place (out of +40 players), much to my surprise. Had I realized I was doing as well as I was (hindsight, and all that crap) I might have been a little more pushy in Game-2...but assumed nothing but massacres would get me into top 3. The fact that this gamer pool had little in the way of 'gimme' players, and some unpredictable variables with scenarios, I shouldn't have been as surprised (not at my placing, but that few were going to just 'massacre' their way into finals).
Overall, a great string of games.
I really didn't get THAT irritated with my second opponent. My good mood game from turn 1 (my opponent and I had a load of fun) just carried me through. Probably why I didn't really push the issue on the Tank Shock...or accuse slow-play...just rolled with it. It may just be that's the way his group plays, and he didn't really see anything 'different' about it.
I will DEFINITELY return to the 'arena' next year. Until then, I plot!
I brought my DE, final incarnation looking something akin to this;
Azdrubael Vect
Haemonc (venom blade/crucible of mal/liquifier)
3 Trueborn (2x Dark Lance)
Venom (kitted)
3 Trueborn (2x Dark Lance)
Venom (kitted)
3 Trueborn (3x Blaster)
Venom (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
10 Warriors (SCannon/Blaster)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wyches (Agonizer/Haywire Grenades/Snet+Imp)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wyches (Agonizer/Haywire Grenades/Snet+Imp)
Raider (kitted)
8 Wracks (liquifier)
Raider (kitted)
Razorwing (kitted/SCannon)
Razorwing (kitted/Scannon)
Ravager (kitted)
(kitted=Shock Prow/Flickerfield/Nightshield on vehicles that could take them)
I was supplied with copies of the lists from my last two opponents, my first having a printer malf and writing his list down upon arrival(having only one copy on hand). I appear to have lost them, so they are ALL being pulled from memory.
________________________________________________________
Round 1;
Scenario; Messenger (you know the drill, VPs with bonuses for the Messenger.)
Deployment; Pitched Battle
Opponent 1; swiss army knife Mahreenz! ('nilla marines)
Captain on bike with Relic Blade
Libby with Gate and Null Zone
8(?)x THSS terminators
3 Units of 10 tacticals (rhino)
2 Units of Bikes (full kit, with MM/Melta)
3 Units of 10 devs w/4x lascannon (razorbacks)
Thunderfire cannon
Okay, dispersed...but the thunderfire could actually give me guff. CSquadded Devs in his ruins (with bolster) were a significant threat as well, considering there was only ONE good piece of terrain on the board (right of center, middle deep).
He won the roll, and chose to go first...between this and his deployment, the game was over barring bad dice. It wasn't so much a true error, as a lack of understanding DE (I think). He spread out with his bikes, but cornered himself around his Rhino mounted messenger squad (which was his big Dep mistake, that and not making a biker troop the messenger).
I refused flank, opposite the one blocking piece on the board, and began to whittle him away.
It went as I expected, but not as I hoped. I killed what I needed, delivered my Messenger (while killing his prior to delivery), and kept it alive for the game. Where it came apart was turns 4/5. I just stopped killing things. Dice that loved me turns 2/3 suddenly decided they were 'used up'. I kept the win, solidly, but just die-stymied myself out of a Massacre.
My opponent, on the other hand, was there till the end and VERY fun to play. Other than his initial goofs, that he recognized on his own later in the game, he made few (if any) mistakes.
Results;
Major Victory/+2 Bonus pts.
________________________________________________________
Round 2;
Scenario; King of the hill (1 objective center, pitched battle with most scoring units within 3" controlling)
Deployment; Pitched Battle
Opponent 2; Fatecrusher Variant (daemons)
Fateweaver
Bloodthirster
4 Bloodcrushers (kitted)
4 Bloodcrushers (kitted)
6(?) Fiends (kitted)
3x 5 Plaguebearers
2x 5 Horrors (one with Changeling)
BIG unit of Seekers
BIG unit of Screamers
3x Tzeentch DPs full shooting and Ironhide
Okay, Fatecrusher variants...I don't fear these, but haven't actually played against one with my DE. Ah well, it's all about target priority. :-)
He wins the roll to go first, and...chooses 2nd. Well, he's about to have a VERY teachable(and painful) moment.
I deploy on my line with maximum dispersion...I give him one last chance, and ask him if he wishes to roll to seize. He laughs, and says 'why would I want to?'
I proceed to 'illuminate' him.
Full movement, with 36" flat outs on my 'Wings, and my movement is finished. I gave him three safe 'pockets' to deploy in. One in his left corner, one in my right and one in my left.
He kinda looks at the table with understanding dawning.
He spends the rest of the game picking up models at a rate of two or more units a turn.
Turn 3 he loses Fateweaver, and appears very irritated I didn't shoot at him until then.
The game ends (due to roll) turn 5. Unfortunately, due to his lack of understanding as to how Tank shock works (and a bad call from the TO, the only one I was aware of the whole day) I lose the massacre. He simply refused to accept how it 'should' work, and only wanted to shift units he perceived as being affected. Ah well, I'll take the major.
(note, if this seems like a less gracious writing than my prior round report, it is...this 'gentleman' argued with me a great deal after his turn 2, around when he realized he was losing. Up til then, he had questioned two of my moves and 2 ranges for shooting...both of which I was correct on...starting with turn 3 he questioned nearly every range and movement, slowing me down GREATLY. He actually FOUGHT me on the tank shock, and managed to flummox the TO. I don't like being slow-played, and merely sped up as much as I could. I think he was actually irritated the game ended 15min prior to dice-down).
Results;
Major Victory/+3 Bonus Points
_____________________________________________________
Round 3;
Scenario; Variable (random victory? the fu##???...If you aren't in the know, look it up...it was irritating. It's the scenario I did NOT want to play)
Deployment; Spearhead
Opponent 2; Dante-wing variant(blood angels)
Dante
Sang Priest
Sang Priest (jumper)
6x Terminators (LClaws)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Sang Guard (kitted)
Tacticals (razor/twin Asscannon)
Tacticals (razor/twin Asscannon)
3x MM Attk Bikes
3x MM Attk Bikes
3x MM Attk Bikes
Storm Raven (MM/Asscannon)
Dreadnought (Talons)
He won the roll, I failed to seize.
We were both tired, and at this point (with the AC out, and unseasonably warm weather, sweating our arses off) we just played.
Nothing stood out, it was sniping vs positioning. He reserved His jumpers and loaded Stormraven (Termies and Dread).
I positioned and played the game banking on two things, NOT getting the 'terrain' Victory Condition, and getting 6+ turns. (we promptly rolled 'Terrain Features' top of turn 3).
That, coupled with a ruling that Terrain pieces could not be contested on turn 4, I played 'out of position' for a turn and only managed a Minor Victory when it ended bottom of turn 5 (damn you dice).
I would LOVE to blame the ruling for throwing off my plans, but frankly...I should have spent turn 3 being a bit more aggressive. I let my inability to kill the SR until bottom of 4 influence me just a wee bit too much (counting on a turn 6) and lost the Major due to it. Sometimes, even when playing 'conservative' DE, you have to drop your balls on the table.
Results;
Minor Victory/+2 Bonus Points
________________________________________________
I wound up in 4th place (out of +40 players), much to my surprise. Had I realized I was doing as well as I was (hindsight, and all that crap) I might have been a little more pushy in Game-2...but assumed nothing but massacres would get me into top 3. The fact that this gamer pool had little in the way of 'gimme' players, and some unpredictable variables with scenarios, I shouldn't have been as surprised (not at my placing, but that few were going to just 'massacre' their way into finals).
Overall, a great string of games.
I really didn't get THAT irritated with my second opponent. My good mood game from turn 1 (my opponent and I had a load of fun) just carried me through. Probably why I didn't really push the issue on the Tank Shock...or accuse slow-play...just rolled with it. It may just be that's the way his group plays, and he didn't really see anything 'different' about it.
I will DEFINITELY return to the 'arena' next year. Until then, I plot!
The Good, the bad...and amazingly NO ugly! Ard Boyz Semis 2011
Okay, so last year I had a...well let's just say 'bad'...Ard Boyz experience.
I had fun with my opponents, but the Venue not so much. I'm not going to re-hash it here, just reference it;
http://exitusactaprobat1.blogspot.com/2010/06/ard-boyz-semi-finals-resultsreport.html
(if you're interested in the 'review' of the venue, scroll past the bat-reps and read...it ain't pretty).
So, after last year I was leery to return to Indianapolis for Semis.
In no way was the player base onerous, in fact I genuinely had fun with my fellow players last year...but the venue REALLY left a bad taste in my mouth.
Honestly, with gas and tight finances shaving a half hour off the drive (coupled with the player base being solid players, well versed in the rules and genuinely pleasant) Indy was the only truly logical choice.
Like last year, I was up at the butt-crack of dawn waiting for friends to carpool with. Also, like last year, my spouse drug her sleep-loving (and now very pregnant) self out of bed to cook us all breakfast. Soon we were on the road, chatting about the game and life (but honestly, it was a bunch of guys going to play with plastic crack...we talked mostly about the game).
2+ hours later we arrived.
We walked in, and after initial shock(the store was small for upwards of 50+ possible players) we were directed to an empty shopfront next-door...and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Before dice down, nearly ALL my fears from last year were alleviated. Though terrain was light (for my tastes) on some of the tables, a genuine effort had been made to make certain things were good...and they were. So, without further ado, I will review the effort that Games2D4For (http://www.games2d4.com/) put forth for this years 'Ard Boyz semis in Indianapolis!
-Venue location-Good; not too far off the beaten track. All told, maybe 15 minutes off of I-70, and pretty straightforward to get to. Aside from minor glitches (My GPS AND Google Maps both led us slightly astray) we found it with very little difficulty. Located at a major intersection, with easily accessed food and necessities, it was a very amenable destination to drive to.
-Venue Layout-Good; Just as a store, it is good. Definitely a labor of love that has its heart in all the right places. For 'Ard Boyz semis, it was a bit small...but the ownership rented an entire storefront next door to accommodate the geekery that was descending upon it. That setup was well laid out, with minimal constraints to movement, and (space allowing) as much concession to comfort as could be delivered. Elbow room was tight, but not excessively so. Chairs were supplied for all players. Walking aisles were clear enough for any needed travel between games/for Judge travel. The only complaint would have been potential for excessive butt-rubbing, but it was less than I expected.
-Terrain Layout-Average; A genuine effort was put forward to populate the tables with playable, competitive terrain...and it showed. Unfortunately, consistency was not great. Some tables had very large blocking pieces, others had few or none. For the most part, terrain averaged just over 20% (between extremes). Low, but not crippling...and far better than last year. Consistency was my ONLY issue, as variation between tables was a bit extreme.
-TO involvement-Excellent; What can I say? He gave a damn. He walked the tables, responded to requests for input immediately and was quick to explain rulings with no rancor (in fact, ALMOST apologetically when ruling against someone...not in a wishy washy fashion, but in an empathetic way). Funny thing, he wasn't even supposed to be the primary (who was in a car accident on the way to the event...fortunately just fine) and had his girlfriend from out of town hanging out for the weekend. He sacrificed a great deal to make sure we were all covered.
-Ownership involvement-Excellent; Again, he(they?) gave a damn. Walking the floor and talking with the TO constantly, to insure happiness (or at least sportsmanship) abounded. It's an investment in time/money/energy for something like this to go off with little in the way of issues, and they did it.
-Transparency-Excellent; Spreadsheets, constant updating, posted listings/tables and even off-handed knowledge of pairings (etc) bore all the earmarks of genuine and unbiased involvement in all aspects of pairing.
-Timeliness-Good; A might late on a few little things, but frankly that ball started rolling with the accident, so no issues.
My only gripes for the whole thing (Venue/TO related) were really terrain based.
I think more varied terrain on individual tables, while maintaining a greater level of consistency between tables, would have been even greater improvement than an increase in percentages.
BUT, I also am of the firm opinion that 5th ed functions best at the 30% terrain mark (noting that the 25% mark really is a minimum, not a cap).
I will CERTAINLY return here if they ever do host 'Ard Boyz semis again, and may make it a point to drive out there just for one of their RTT's.
Thank you Games2Die4, for restoring my faith in the system!
I had fun with my opponents, but the Venue not so much. I'm not going to re-hash it here, just reference it;
http://exitusactaprobat1.blogspot.com/2010/06/ard-boyz-semi-finals-resultsreport.html
(if you're interested in the 'review' of the venue, scroll past the bat-reps and read...it ain't pretty).
So, after last year I was leery to return to Indianapolis for Semis.
In no way was the player base onerous, in fact I genuinely had fun with my fellow players last year...but the venue REALLY left a bad taste in my mouth.
Honestly, with gas and tight finances shaving a half hour off the drive (coupled with the player base being solid players, well versed in the rules and genuinely pleasant) Indy was the only truly logical choice.
Like last year, I was up at the butt-crack of dawn waiting for friends to carpool with. Also, like last year, my spouse drug her sleep-loving (and now very pregnant) self out of bed to cook us all breakfast. Soon we were on the road, chatting about the game and life (but honestly, it was a bunch of guys going to play with plastic crack...we talked mostly about the game).
2+ hours later we arrived.
We walked in, and after initial shock(the store was small for upwards of 50+ possible players) we were directed to an empty shopfront next-door...and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Before dice down, nearly ALL my fears from last year were alleviated. Though terrain was light (for my tastes) on some of the tables, a genuine effort had been made to make certain things were good...and they were. So, without further ado, I will review the effort that Games2D4For (http://www.games2d4.com/) put forth for this years 'Ard Boyz semis in Indianapolis!
-Venue location-Good; not too far off the beaten track. All told, maybe 15 minutes off of I-70, and pretty straightforward to get to. Aside from minor glitches (My GPS AND Google Maps both led us slightly astray) we found it with very little difficulty. Located at a major intersection, with easily accessed food and necessities, it was a very amenable destination to drive to.
-Venue Layout-Good; Just as a store, it is good. Definitely a labor of love that has its heart in all the right places. For 'Ard Boyz semis, it was a bit small...but the ownership rented an entire storefront next door to accommodate the geekery that was descending upon it. That setup was well laid out, with minimal constraints to movement, and (space allowing) as much concession to comfort as could be delivered. Elbow room was tight, but not excessively so. Chairs were supplied for all players. Walking aisles were clear enough for any needed travel between games/for Judge travel. The only complaint would have been potential for excessive butt-rubbing, but it was less than I expected.
-Terrain Layout-Average; A genuine effort was put forward to populate the tables with playable, competitive terrain...and it showed. Unfortunately, consistency was not great. Some tables had very large blocking pieces, others had few or none. For the most part, terrain averaged just over 20% (between extremes). Low, but not crippling...and far better than last year. Consistency was my ONLY issue, as variation between tables was a bit extreme.
-TO involvement-Excellent; What can I say? He gave a damn. He walked the tables, responded to requests for input immediately and was quick to explain rulings with no rancor (in fact, ALMOST apologetically when ruling against someone...not in a wishy washy fashion, but in an empathetic way). Funny thing, he wasn't even supposed to be the primary (who was in a car accident on the way to the event...fortunately just fine) and had his girlfriend from out of town hanging out for the weekend. He sacrificed a great deal to make sure we were all covered.
-Ownership involvement-Excellent; Again, he(they?) gave a damn. Walking the floor and talking with the TO constantly, to insure happiness (or at least sportsmanship) abounded. It's an investment in time/money/energy for something like this to go off with little in the way of issues, and they did it.
-Transparency-Excellent; Spreadsheets, constant updating, posted listings/tables and even off-handed knowledge of pairings (etc) bore all the earmarks of genuine and unbiased involvement in all aspects of pairing.
-Timeliness-Good; A might late on a few little things, but frankly that ball started rolling with the accident, so no issues.
My only gripes for the whole thing (Venue/TO related) were really terrain based.
I think more varied terrain on individual tables, while maintaining a greater level of consistency between tables, would have been even greater improvement than an increase in percentages.
BUT, I also am of the firm opinion that 5th ed functions best at the 30% terrain mark (noting that the 25% mark really is a minimum, not a cap).
I will CERTAINLY return here if they ever do host 'Ard Boyz semis again, and may make it a point to drive out there just for one of their RTT's.
Thank you Games2Die4, for restoring my faith in the system!
Sunday, September 18, 2011
Tales of a 4th place nothing!
So, finally got excited about 'Ard Boyz...2 day before semis! :-O
Went to Indianapolis, my closest semi's location being Games2die for.
They did a very good job, with only a few minor gripes and a great deal of Kudos.
(I will write a full review sometime this week, but have a great deal to do today)
I took 4th, and unlike last year had NO lopsided games.
Each of my opponents were solid, with lists they tuned in and played very well.
I was also fortunate to play no repeat armies, or civil wars.
I brought my Dark Eldar.
My results were;
Rd 1- Major Victory (2 bonus)
Rd 2- Major Victory (3 bonus)
Rd 3- Minor Victory (2 bonus)
I thank all three of my opponents for well fought, well executed and challenging contests.
Mini-Batreps, scenario evals and Venue comments to follow this week.
Thanks for listening to my inconsistent ramblings, but with a baby 3-6 days out, the last month+ has kept me...well, 'distracted' :-D
Went to Indianapolis, my closest semi's location being Games2die for.
They did a very good job, with only a few minor gripes and a great deal of Kudos.
(I will write a full review sometime this week, but have a great deal to do today)
I took 4th, and unlike last year had NO lopsided games.
Each of my opponents were solid, with lists they tuned in and played very well.
I was also fortunate to play no repeat armies, or civil wars.
I brought my Dark Eldar.
My results were;
Rd 1- Major Victory (2 bonus)
Rd 2- Major Victory (3 bonus)
Rd 3- Minor Victory (2 bonus)
I thank all three of my opponents for well fought, well executed and challenging contests.
Mini-Batreps, scenario evals and Venue comments to follow this week.
Thanks for listening to my inconsistent ramblings, but with a baby 3-6 days out, the last month+ has kept me...well, 'distracted' :-D
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Good Luck...
...to all those playing in 'Ard Boyz this day.
I found myself strangely un-motivated, until the past week. Then I stepped back and decided to just have fun.
After a furor of list building and angst driven culling of silt in lists, I have gotten righteously 'pumped'; and am looking forward to throwing many dice (mostly on the table, but perhaps occasionally at opponents).
Have fun all!
I found myself strangely un-motivated, until the past week. Then I stepped back and decided to just have fun.
After a furor of list building and angst driven culling of silt in lists, I have gotten righteously 'pumped'; and am looking forward to throwing many dice (mostly on the table, but perhaps occasionally at opponents).
Have fun all!
Sunday, August 7, 2011
'Ard Boyz...or 'Ard Meh...?
So, is it just me...
or is the excitment for 'Ard Boyz kinda...meh...this year?
I'm having trouble getting all 'hot and bothered'.
I've already decided to drop out of the 'YTTH' challenge, and just run what I want...
I've already decided (assuming I actually place this time) that I probably won't do the semis (due date for incoming 'screaming ball of stinkitude' notwithstanding) unless there's a location really close by doing them...and even then, only a MAYBE.
I'm buying pretty much zilch for army tweaking (unlike last year, where I dumped an extra 120$ into my 'nids 3 wks out), just grabbed a few extra used terminators to flesh out my DW...stuff that I already wanted anyway.
Then I looked about and saw the similar sentiments being voiced here and there (and by same, I mean even down to the 'reduced spending' et al)...
It's just not...well, just 'not'...this time 'round.
so, is it just me?
or is the excitment for 'Ard Boyz kinda...meh...this year?
I'm having trouble getting all 'hot and bothered'.
I've already decided to drop out of the 'YTTH' challenge, and just run what I want...
I've already decided (assuming I actually place this time) that I probably won't do the semis (due date for incoming 'screaming ball of stinkitude' notwithstanding) unless there's a location really close by doing them...and even then, only a MAYBE.
I'm buying pretty much zilch for army tweaking (unlike last year, where I dumped an extra 120$ into my 'nids 3 wks out), just grabbed a few extra used terminators to flesh out my DW...stuff that I already wanted anyway.
Then I looked about and saw the similar sentiments being voiced here and there (and by same, I mean even down to the 'reduced spending' et al)...
It's just not...well, just 'not'...this time 'round.
so, is it just me?
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Sister's of Battle (thoughts...and other such)
Coming soon to a corner near you...need to digest...and stop raging...
The Good, the bad...and the Ugly (Krystal Keep RTT 07/23)
Okay, this one's not going to be QUITE as in depth as Buckey Battle's event...but that's because I'm tired, overheated and babysitting a crappy dog.
This last Saturday, I went to an event at my local FLGS...the Krystal Keep.
I have to thank them for both hosting an event, and finding a TO to cover for...well me, most often. I got to play, and I didn't have to stress setting up/running an event in this miserable work-summer I've been having...yay! :)
That being said, the 'bad' & 'ugly' have ZERO reflection on the store, as they merely allowed a player to run one...one he asked about running, was not asked to.
The good;
well...it was a tournament?
honestly, he ran an event...stepped up to swing the bat...and I was able to step out of reality for a few hours and horse around with some friends. 'nuff said?
-price; 10$ entry fee. This seems to be on the low end for many events, and I was happy. It's a price-point I try to maintain for my events, to make it cheaper for traveling players (with gas prices) and younger players (less hard to get the 'rents to pay up).
-prize support; excellent for the entry. I don't know the totals off the top of my head, but with only 14 players on a $10 entry, I THINK it was somewhere in the neighborhood of $250-300(ish). With GW support kickback, that still equates into full money=prizes. :)
-terrain; adequate. Though that word does not imply perfection, I have grown (over the years) to be HAPPY AS HELL with 'adequate'! It could have been a little more consistent, and maybe a bit denser, but I only saw a VERY few of the tables we used that were truly sparse (ie;20% or less). That happened to punish my last opponent, as we got one of them, but overall did NOT seem to dominate the play.
The Bad
scoring records; poor at best. Having ONLY a sheet the PLAYER keeps in hand all day, then turned in at the end, is not a very good...or transparent...method of tracking. It can work, but only in a smaller event where everyone truly knows one another.
that's about all I would call 'bad'...
The Ugly (and it was very...)
-random pairings; see my rant, and ALL that entails, in my 'Buckeye Battles' entry...then subtract the mood of happy from all the good they implemented. That about says it all. Please, people, Swiss does NOT = 'random pairings'...just STOP!
-random scenarois; WTF? okay, this was VERY bad. On TWO fronts!
a) the potential for playing the same scenario each round (happened to me and one other)
b) the fact that each TABLE each ROUND rolled randomly, allowing for NO consistency between played rounds/victory conditions.
This is just bad, guys, and smacks of no small amount of laziness (or inexperience). At a 'tournament', some semblance of regularity and competitiveness should be expected. Not necessarily pure competition uber alles, but a modicum of uniformity needs to be maintained.
If, as a TO, you MUST randomize your scenarios out of the book...at least randomize per round for everybody across the board, not each game being potentially different. Much gnashing of teeth was heard.
-engagement; walk it(or talk it). There was little (or no) walking about the tables by the TO. In fact, for the most part, I saw him playing his own games (once as a ringer, as someone dropped out...but otherwise they just seemed to be pick-ups). This is also BAD...as in 'cross the streams' level bad.
You need to establish your face, develop a rapport and be aware of potentially developing issues (with scoring, scenarios, rules OR personalities) at every stage of an event you run. It establishes authority without assiness, involvement without intrusiveness and confidence in the event (or future ones).
Overall, without changes, I would NOT attend an event like this one again...
BUT;
the TO was totally new. This was his first event, and at the end he took a great deal of feedback from myself and others. If he implements a majority of it (from whichever sources, or all of them) his reputation AND events should quickly grow.
I'm giving him another shot, if he steps up to swing the bat again, and hope that he has learned.
I'm too tired and old to do it all the time anymore :D
This last Saturday, I went to an event at my local FLGS...the Krystal Keep.
I have to thank them for both hosting an event, and finding a TO to cover for...well me, most often. I got to play, and I didn't have to stress setting up/running an event in this miserable work-summer I've been having...yay! :)
That being said, the 'bad' & 'ugly' have ZERO reflection on the store, as they merely allowed a player to run one...one he asked about running, was not asked to.
The good;
well...it was a tournament?
honestly, he ran an event...stepped up to swing the bat...and I was able to step out of reality for a few hours and horse around with some friends. 'nuff said?
-price; 10$ entry fee. This seems to be on the low end for many events, and I was happy. It's a price-point I try to maintain for my events, to make it cheaper for traveling players (with gas prices) and younger players (less hard to get the 'rents to pay up).
-prize support; excellent for the entry. I don't know the totals off the top of my head, but with only 14 players on a $10 entry, I THINK it was somewhere in the neighborhood of $250-300(ish). With GW support kickback, that still equates into full money=prizes. :)
-terrain; adequate. Though that word does not imply perfection, I have grown (over the years) to be HAPPY AS HELL with 'adequate'! It could have been a little more consistent, and maybe a bit denser, but I only saw a VERY few of the tables we used that were truly sparse (ie;20% or less). That happened to punish my last opponent, as we got one of them, but overall did NOT seem to dominate the play.
The Bad
scoring records; poor at best. Having ONLY a sheet the PLAYER keeps in hand all day, then turned in at the end, is not a very good...or transparent...method of tracking. It can work, but only in a smaller event where everyone truly knows one another.
that's about all I would call 'bad'...
The Ugly (and it was very...)
-random pairings; see my rant, and ALL that entails, in my 'Buckeye Battles' entry...then subtract the mood of happy from all the good they implemented. That about says it all. Please, people, Swiss does NOT = 'random pairings'...just STOP!
-random scenarois; WTF? okay, this was VERY bad. On TWO fronts!
a) the potential for playing the same scenario each round (happened to me and one other)
b) the fact that each TABLE each ROUND rolled randomly, allowing for NO consistency between played rounds/victory conditions.
This is just bad, guys, and smacks of no small amount of laziness (or inexperience). At a 'tournament', some semblance of regularity and competitiveness should be expected. Not necessarily pure competition uber alles, but a modicum of uniformity needs to be maintained.
If, as a TO, you MUST randomize your scenarios out of the book...at least randomize per round for everybody across the board, not each game being potentially different. Much gnashing of teeth was heard.
-engagement; walk it(or talk it). There was little (or no) walking about the tables by the TO. In fact, for the most part, I saw him playing his own games (once as a ringer, as someone dropped out...but otherwise they just seemed to be pick-ups). This is also BAD...as in 'cross the streams' level bad.
You need to establish your face, develop a rapport and be aware of potentially developing issues (with scoring, scenarios, rules OR personalities) at every stage of an event you run. It establishes authority without assiness, involvement without intrusiveness and confidence in the event (or future ones).
Overall, without changes, I would NOT attend an event like this one again...
BUT;
the TO was totally new. This was his first event, and at the end he took a great deal of feedback from myself and others. If he implements a majority of it (from whichever sources, or all of them) his reputation AND events should quickly grow.
I'm giving him another shot, if he steps up to swing the bat again, and hope that he has learned.
I'm too tired and old to do it all the time anymore :D
Monday, July 18, 2011
How I've spent the last four months (and change)
Howdy, Helpless Will back in the author's chair. Why? I blame EAP's rapidly accelerating senility, but hey, it's what happens when one achieves such advanced age. So, what I've been up to lately, and by "lately" I mean since the third week of February until a couple of days ago;
Yup, the oft mentioned Warhound is complete. My mother, decided that her perpetually adolescent eldest child needed a tremendously cool gift this past Christmas. I've said it before about a number of things, and I'm sure I'll say it again, "Thanks Mom!"
They say a picture's worth a thousand words. To me, these speak a few more than that. Sure, they speak to how a large chunk of my time has disappeared since late February, but there's a lot more associated with them, when I look them over.
Naturally, over the course of a project of this length, a lot went on outside of it. Without going into too much detail, the standouts on this one were, in no particular order, the death of a friend, my mother's second go round with cancer, my sister's first go round with it, my room mate's emergency appendectomy, and many lesser examples of ill fortune. The first half of this year has been expensive, stressful, and possessed of an overarching stupid and / or tragic sort of theme. In my direct experience, I was far from alone in this. Good friends have had their own share of misfortune, some much more severe than my own. It's not like it was my appendix that blew up after all.
Some pretty cool things have happened also. Two pregnancies within my circle of friends. A couple of friends are employed again after entirely too much time out of work. Every health emergency listed above has turned out about as well as could be hoped for, though my kid sister still has some lingering issues, they're not life threatening.
So, anyway, I got a Chaos Warhound for Christmas. I started putting it together in late February. It took until mid-July to finish it. It would have been done sooner but for all the distractions real life can throw at you. Now that it's finished, I can't look at it without a lot of pride, satisfaction, and contemplation of all that occurred during its construction.
Glad that's done with. Here's hoping I won't repeat any of it anytime soon. Here's some more pics. Enjoy these fine examples of my thoroughly mediocre painting skills, and apologies for the quality of the pics. Replacing my cell phone with a real camera is on the list of things to do.
Next up? A hint;
Stay tuned.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The good, the bad...and the Ugly (Buckeye Battles 40k GT)
Ok,
so I'm a little over a week late with this, but I have been...well, busy is a word.
I went to the Buckeye Battles 40k GT a little over a week ago. (July 8th). I haven't attended a GT in a while, but a Friday event allowed me to attend without having to get a schedule change approved...allowing me to go to more than one Tourney in the same month.
I had some concerns about format, but Friday tourney uber-alles and I went.
We'll start with the GOOD;
-Terrain: Very good. Each table achieved a solid 23-28%. Most of the tables were thematic and aesthetically appealing, with a great deal of unique and carefully crafted pieces. Those that were populated with 'stock' terrain (abundantly available pieces from either GW, or a local guy who produces bits) were still laid out well, and cohesive. There were very few tables that did not make the grade, and for the most part they went unused (as there were just around 30 players, and spare tables if they went over).
-Judge: (same as TO, but how he handled himself as a judge here). He was a walker...my personally preferred method. He walked about, observed the games and armies. He talked to people when appropriate, merely observed when things were 'on the line', and was amiable. He ruled when he knew, referenced the books when he wasn't 100% and asked experienced players for input when available (a good trait). Excellent all the way 'round.
-Venue: barely tight. I 'rubbed butts' in only one round, but the space was maximized well with VERY little cramping. On a large stage at a universtity, set up for both the Fantasy event (Sat/Sun) and 40k (Fri) they utilized the space VERY well...and theatre seats provided GREAT between round resting. The only negative here was on-site food services...they were quite lacking (but compensated for by foresight on the TO's part, and delivered pizza).
-Organization: hiccups resulted (as far as I could tell) solely from late arrivals pushing us back by 30min. This was slightly made up by shortening a break when all players were finished on a round, and properly rested.
-Entry; 15$ for a GT (without much else for monetary considerations, and lunch included)? Okay, I'm loving it! (especially with the level of prize support...this was awesomesauce, even though I didn't really win anything...winning!)
The BAD;
-Parking: was a bit confusing, some signs discouraging parking in a restricted lot would have prevented me from having to move the car...but that was minor.
-Food Services: with a GT, it's usually a good idea to have a venue that has in-house food services. Less coordination on a TO's part is always good for a smoother event, lower stress levels to TO/players...and making certain it is 100% clear to all players (in advance) is important. GT's are grinding, on occasion, and having amenities for all reduces that stressor.
-Scenarios: when utilizing non-standard scenarios, you need to go to GREAT lengths to insure clarity. Two of the scenarios we played (6 were posted on the website, 4 were used for the 4 rounds) were unclear as to how they were scored. Only ONE was egregious though (stating annihilation, while actually utilizing only VPs), but knowing in advance that VPs were pretty much the ONLY kill-score method may have altered my list choices...but only MAY have. Again, these are minor gripes, as overall this only created a small amount of confusion (that was clarified right before round-start for the most part).
-Time; Four 2+ hour rounds in one day...after a long drive there, followed by a long drive back...'nuff said...it was a grind, and I have grown OLD! :D
The UGLY:
-Forgeworld; this MAY be the last FW event I ever play in. I accepted that I may be 'forge-worlded' out...but I had no real idea (not owning all the books) how FOUL some of the newer forgeworld material can be. Land Raider Achilles? Holy-Grud! I had NO answer, other than close assault, to these. And with a POTMS Vindicator using them as cover, my DW wasn't getting close...I felt like a 9 year old dropped into a polar-bear paddock.
If you are going to allow FW (no super-heavies/gargantuan/flyers), you have to make allowances for certain factors. My personal collection involves flyers, as I like them from an Apoc standpoint...and do not have the money to dig in deep for these things. Allowing flyers would have balanced some of the more OP ground forces, and not broken the system. (I think a Thunderbolt would have had the same overall impact in the event, as an Achilles...but that's me).
For a competitive event, with a great deal of prize support (from a per-player to $value ratio), FW should go. There is NO balancing factor, little method of coming up with a true metric for assessing your competitiveness (as there are few FW events, there are fewer opportunities to assess certain synergies) and no real method of assessing pairing factors beyond pure scores (as this event seemed to have done in some fashion)...it really throws Strength of Schedule out the window (see next).
-Pairings; Pairings for events like this, are normally swiss system...or some other method that involves 1st round random, and following round vs like ranked opponents.
Yet we received the packets, which stated pairings would be random...and scoring would involve bonuses based on opponent SoS.
WTF??? I had not seen this on the website, which may be a failing of mine for research...but I looked again and still didn't find this info.
I can honestly say, excepting for my round 1 opponent, I should not have faced (under normal pairing systems) ANY of my following opponents. Not even close.
Also, my 2nd round game appeared to have been a win for me (I assume from some SoS adjustment) vs the close loss my opponent and I thought I had suffered. That confusion led me to play differently in my 3rd and 4th rounds (more relaxed and uncaring) vs with clarity and sense of purpose.
This was TERRIBLE...utterly. Random pairings have no place in a competitive event. I get the intent, and none of it was done with intent to be obtuse or bollox people up...it was done (likely) to assist the TO in scoring and pairing times (as he was using, I think, the same system for both events...and had a much larger group playing for the rest of the GT over the weekend...AND seemed to be flying solo). That is not to intimate laziness, it is simple efficiency..I get it, and understand it...but wholly DON'T espouse it.
I DON'T like flying through an event with NO idea how the spread is playing, who is where on the tables...and I REALLY didn't like the randomness pulling me a PERFECT opponent in the last round (for me). I tabled him. I DON'T like tabling people, and I don't like TOTALLY one-sided games...he was crushed, but fortunately smiling the whole way (crushed in a game sense, not spirit sense).
-Sporstmanship; I waffled on this one, as it can be a taste issue more than anything...and waffled on where to place this (bad, or ugly).
But my 3rd round opponent clinched it for me. I have seen this guy in action, and he CAN be a little...pushy/arsey. I ran an event with him, and he was NOT easygoing in any game I observed (two of the three)...and nearly caused a real altercation one round. Yet the entire game (with me) he was insidiously fawning and complimentary. My army is painted well, from a TABLETOP perspective. Yet listening to him, I had a golden-daemon level army...with shading far above and beyond any skill level he'd seen. My land raider was shaded and highlighted beyond pro-quality...etc etc etc (you get the point). The thing wasn't even finished, just 'mostly' there. I cheated with washes, and hadn't even blacklined.
He was fishing for 'favorite opponent' votes with everyone, as far as I could tell...and if he faced any of the 'kids', that would have worked. I just smiled, swallowed my pride, and played on.
It's not that he was 'bad'. He was just fishing. If you're on the table at an event, you should play as you normally play in a tourney...not go in with a false smile. I am not espousing 'assy' play, but be honest with yourself and your opponent. Platitudes and alligator tears are insulting to a savvy/empathic opponent.
If you are going to 'include' sportsmanship, as part of a 'Best Overall' scoring, you should also make a clear 'checklist'. The scoring for this was a 'Judge' call, with adjustments based on observed attitudes/altercations/table tense-ness. I don't care HOW engaged you are, this will not reflect a totally objective view. My 3rd opponent 'ramped up' his 'compliments' on my painting whenever the TO hove into view...this was fairly obvious to me, yet would not have been if the TO was on the move elsewhere (and my opponent seemed to be watching). I also can say, that unless loud and heated, the TO could very well have missed some minor altercations.
If it scores into overall, frankly, it should be in the hands of the players...not an ephemeral and un-quantifiable fashion.
Overall, I DID enjoy myself greatly.
I played 4 people I had never played before (yayyy travelling), and did not repeat a single army type for opponent.
I will reconsider returning next year, but will probably not if the scoring AND FW restrictions/allowances stay totally the same.
so I'm a little over a week late with this, but I have been...well, busy is a word.
I went to the Buckeye Battles 40k GT a little over a week ago. (July 8th). I haven't attended a GT in a while, but a Friday event allowed me to attend without having to get a schedule change approved...allowing me to go to more than one Tourney in the same month.
I had some concerns about format, but Friday tourney uber-alles and I went.
We'll start with the GOOD;
-Terrain: Very good. Each table achieved a solid 23-28%. Most of the tables were thematic and aesthetically appealing, with a great deal of unique and carefully crafted pieces. Those that were populated with 'stock' terrain (abundantly available pieces from either GW, or a local guy who produces bits) were still laid out well, and cohesive. There were very few tables that did not make the grade, and for the most part they went unused (as there were just around 30 players, and spare tables if they went over).
-Judge: (same as TO, but how he handled himself as a judge here). He was a walker...my personally preferred method. He walked about, observed the games and armies. He talked to people when appropriate, merely observed when things were 'on the line', and was amiable. He ruled when he knew, referenced the books when he wasn't 100% and asked experienced players for input when available (a good trait). Excellent all the way 'round.
-Venue: barely tight. I 'rubbed butts' in only one round, but the space was maximized well with VERY little cramping. On a large stage at a universtity, set up for both the Fantasy event (Sat/Sun) and 40k (Fri) they utilized the space VERY well...and theatre seats provided GREAT between round resting. The only negative here was on-site food services...they were quite lacking (but compensated for by foresight on the TO's part, and delivered pizza).
-Organization: hiccups resulted (as far as I could tell) solely from late arrivals pushing us back by 30min. This was slightly made up by shortening a break when all players were finished on a round, and properly rested.
-Entry; 15$ for a GT (without much else for monetary considerations, and lunch included)? Okay, I'm loving it! (especially with the level of prize support...this was awesomesauce, even though I didn't really win anything...winning!)
The BAD;
-Parking: was a bit confusing, some signs discouraging parking in a restricted lot would have prevented me from having to move the car...but that was minor.
-Food Services: with a GT, it's usually a good idea to have a venue that has in-house food services. Less coordination on a TO's part is always good for a smoother event, lower stress levels to TO/players...and making certain it is 100% clear to all players (in advance) is important. GT's are grinding, on occasion, and having amenities for all reduces that stressor.
-Scenarios: when utilizing non-standard scenarios, you need to go to GREAT lengths to insure clarity. Two of the scenarios we played (6 were posted on the website, 4 were used for the 4 rounds) were unclear as to how they were scored. Only ONE was egregious though (stating annihilation, while actually utilizing only VPs), but knowing in advance that VPs were pretty much the ONLY kill-score method may have altered my list choices...but only MAY have. Again, these are minor gripes, as overall this only created a small amount of confusion (that was clarified right before round-start for the most part).
-Time; Four 2+ hour rounds in one day...after a long drive there, followed by a long drive back...'nuff said...it was a grind, and I have grown OLD! :D
The UGLY:
-Forgeworld; this MAY be the last FW event I ever play in. I accepted that I may be 'forge-worlded' out...but I had no real idea (not owning all the books) how FOUL some of the newer forgeworld material can be. Land Raider Achilles? Holy-Grud! I had NO answer, other than close assault, to these. And with a POTMS Vindicator using them as cover, my DW wasn't getting close...I felt like a 9 year old dropped into a polar-bear paddock.
If you are going to allow FW (no super-heavies/gargantuan/flyers), you have to make allowances for certain factors. My personal collection involves flyers, as I like them from an Apoc standpoint...and do not have the money to dig in deep for these things. Allowing flyers would have balanced some of the more OP ground forces, and not broken the system. (I think a Thunderbolt would have had the same overall impact in the event, as an Achilles...but that's me).
For a competitive event, with a great deal of prize support (from a per-player to $value ratio), FW should go. There is NO balancing factor, little method of coming up with a true metric for assessing your competitiveness (as there are few FW events, there are fewer opportunities to assess certain synergies) and no real method of assessing pairing factors beyond pure scores (as this event seemed to have done in some fashion)...it really throws Strength of Schedule out the window (see next).
-Pairings; Pairings for events like this, are normally swiss system...or some other method that involves 1st round random, and following round vs like ranked opponents.
Yet we received the packets, which stated pairings would be random...and scoring would involve bonuses based on opponent SoS.
WTF??? I had not seen this on the website, which may be a failing of mine for research...but I looked again and still didn't find this info.
I can honestly say, excepting for my round 1 opponent, I should not have faced (under normal pairing systems) ANY of my following opponents. Not even close.
Also, my 2nd round game appeared to have been a win for me (I assume from some SoS adjustment) vs the close loss my opponent and I thought I had suffered. That confusion led me to play differently in my 3rd and 4th rounds (more relaxed and uncaring) vs with clarity and sense of purpose.
This was TERRIBLE...utterly. Random pairings have no place in a competitive event. I get the intent, and none of it was done with intent to be obtuse or bollox people up...it was done (likely) to assist the TO in scoring and pairing times (as he was using, I think, the same system for both events...and had a much larger group playing for the rest of the GT over the weekend...AND seemed to be flying solo). That is not to intimate laziness, it is simple efficiency..I get it, and understand it...but wholly DON'T espouse it.
I DON'T like flying through an event with NO idea how the spread is playing, who is where on the tables...and I REALLY didn't like the randomness pulling me a PERFECT opponent in the last round (for me). I tabled him. I DON'T like tabling people, and I don't like TOTALLY one-sided games...he was crushed, but fortunately smiling the whole way (crushed in a game sense, not spirit sense).
-Sporstmanship; I waffled on this one, as it can be a taste issue more than anything...and waffled on where to place this (bad, or ugly).
But my 3rd round opponent clinched it for me. I have seen this guy in action, and he CAN be a little...pushy/arsey. I ran an event with him, and he was NOT easygoing in any game I observed (two of the three)...and nearly caused a real altercation one round. Yet the entire game (with me) he was insidiously fawning and complimentary. My army is painted well, from a TABLETOP perspective. Yet listening to him, I had a golden-daemon level army...with shading far above and beyond any skill level he'd seen. My land raider was shaded and highlighted beyond pro-quality...etc etc etc (you get the point). The thing wasn't even finished, just 'mostly' there. I cheated with washes, and hadn't even blacklined.
He was fishing for 'favorite opponent' votes with everyone, as far as I could tell...and if he faced any of the 'kids', that would have worked. I just smiled, swallowed my pride, and played on.
It's not that he was 'bad'. He was just fishing. If you're on the table at an event, you should play as you normally play in a tourney...not go in with a false smile. I am not espousing 'assy' play, but be honest with yourself and your opponent. Platitudes and alligator tears are insulting to a savvy/empathic opponent.
If you are going to 'include' sportsmanship, as part of a 'Best Overall' scoring, you should also make a clear 'checklist'. The scoring for this was a 'Judge' call, with adjustments based on observed attitudes/altercations/table tense-ness. I don't care HOW engaged you are, this will not reflect a totally objective view. My 3rd opponent 'ramped up' his 'compliments' on my painting whenever the TO hove into view...this was fairly obvious to me, yet would not have been if the TO was on the move elsewhere (and my opponent seemed to be watching). I also can say, that unless loud and heated, the TO could very well have missed some minor altercations.
If it scores into overall, frankly, it should be in the hands of the players...not an ephemeral and un-quantifiable fashion.
Overall, I DID enjoy myself greatly.
I played 4 people I had never played before (yayyy travelling), and did not repeat a single army type for opponent.
I will reconsider returning next year, but will probably not if the scoring AND FW restrictions/allowances stay totally the same.
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