The 40k Masters 2014 lists

Name: Christian Pride 

Codex: Eldar

Primary Detachment: Combined Arms Detachment

Primary Detachment 

HQ

Warlord - Spiritseer

Troops

5x Dire Avenger

Wave Serpent [Holo-fields, Shuriken cannon, Twin-linked scatter lasers]

5x Dire Avenger

Wave Serpent [Holo-fields, Shuriken cannon, Twin-linked scatter lasers]

5x Dire Avenger

Wave Serpent [Holo-fields, Shuriken cannon, Twin-linked scatter lasers]

5x Wraithguard

Wave Serpent [Holo-fields, Shuriken cannon, Twin-linked scatter lasers]

3x Windrider Jetbike

Fast Attack

5x Swooping Hawks

7x Warp Spider

Heavy Support

Wraithknight [Two Heavy Wraithcannons]

Wraithknight [Two Heavy Wraithcannons]

***************************************************

Name: Dave Foster

Codex: Necrons

Primary Detachment - Combined Arms Detachment; Allied Detachment

Primary Detachment

HQ

Warlord - Imotekh the Stormlord

Royal Court [Harbinger of Despair, 3x Harbinger of the Storm]

Troops

5x Necron Warriors

Ghost Ark

5x Necron Warriors

Ghost Ark

5x Necron Warriors

Night Scythe

5x Necron Warriors

Night Scythe

Heavy Support

Annihilation Barge [Gauss Cannon]

Annihilation Barge [Gauss Cannon]

Annihilation Barge [Gauss Cannon]

Allied Detachment

HQ

Necron Overlord [Mindshackle Scarabs, Sempiternal Weave, Warscythe]

Royal Court [3x Harbinger of the Storm]

Troops

5x Necron Warriors

Night Scythe

Heavy Support

Annihilation Barge [Gauss Cannon]

***************************************************

Name: Dean Bradley

Codex: Inquisition; Astra Militarum; Space Marines; Grey Knights; Officio Assassinorum

Primary Detachment - Inquisition; Allied Detachment; Combined Arms Detachment; Nemesis Strike Force; Officio Assassinorum 

Primary Detachment

HQ

Warlord - Inquisitor Coteaz

Elites

3x Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband [1x Psyker; 2x Acolyte - Chainsword, Flak Armour, Laspistol]

3x Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband [1x Psyker; 2x Acolyte - Chainsword, Flak Armour, Laspistol]

3x Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband [1x Psyker; 2x Acolyte - Chainsword, Flak Armour, Laspistol]

Allied Detachment

HQ

Company Commander [Close Combat Weapon, Flak Armour, Laspistol]

Company Command Squad [4x Veteran w/ Meltagun]

Astropath

Ministorum Priest

Ministorum Priest

Primaris Psyker [Force Staff, Psyker Mastery Level 2]

Troops

Veteran Squad

9x Veterans [Lascannon]

Fast Attack

Valkyrie [2x Hellstrike Missiles, Multi-laser]

Combined Arms Detachment

HQ

Chief Librarian Tigurius

Troops

5x Scout Squad [4x Sniper Rifle]

5x Scout Squad [4x Sniper Rifle]

Nemesis Strike Force

HQ

Librarian [Domina Liber Daemonica, Nemesis warding stave, Psyker [ML 3]]

Librarian [Nemesis warding stave, Psyker [ML 3]]

Troops

Terminator Squad

Terminator Justicar [Nemesis Daemon hammer]

1x Terminator [Nemesis Daemon hammer]

2x Terminator [Nemesis Daemon hammer, Psycannon]

6x Terminator (halberd) [6x Nemesis force halberd]

Elites

Culexus Assassin

***************************************************

Name:  Frank Redmond

Codex: Space Marines

Primary Detachment - Combined Arms Detachment; Allied Detachment

Primary Detachment

HQ

Warlord - Chief Librarian Tigurius

Chapter Master [Auspex, Bike, Bolt Pistol, Digital Weapons, Power Armor, The Armor Indomitus, The Burning Blade]

Troops

10x Scout Squad [Camo Cloaks, Missile Launcher, 8x Sniper Rifle, Sergeant Telion]

10x Scout Squad [Heavy Bolter w/ Hellfire Shells, 9x Sniper Rifle]

Heavy Support

Stalker

Thunderfire Cannon

Thunderfire Cannon

Allied Detachment

HQ

Kor'Sarro Khan [Moondrakken]

Command Squad [Space Marine Bikes]

Apothecary

Veteran [Grav-gun, Storm Shield, Thunder Hammer]

Veteran [Grav-gun, Power Sword, Storm Shield]

2x Veteran [Bolt Pistol, Grav-gun, Storm Shield]

Troops

7x Bike Squad [Grav-gun, Meltagun, 6x Space Marine Biker, Biker Sergeant [Melta Bombs]]

Heavy Support

Stalker

***************************************************

Name:  James Davison

Codex: Astra Militarum; Inquisition

Primary Detachment: Combined Arms Detachment; Inquisitorial Detachment

Primary Detachment

HQ

Warlord - Knight Commander Pask

1 xCommand Punisher [Heavy Bolter, Relic Plating]

1x Executioner [Heavy Bolter]

Ministorum Priest

Troops

Infantry Platoon

Platoon Commander [Bolter, Close Combat Weapon]

Platoon Command Squad [Flamer, Vox-caster]

Chimera [Dozer Blade, Heavy Flamer, Multi-laser]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Laspistol, Power Axe]

9x Guardsman, [Vox-caster, Krak Grenades]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Laspistol, Power Axe]

9x Guardsman, [Krak Grenades]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Laspistol, Power Axe]

9x Guardsman, [Krak Grenades]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Laspistol, Power Axe]

9x Guardsman, [Krak Grenades]

Veteran Squad

Veteran Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

[Demolitions, 3x Meltagun]

Chimera [Dozer Blade, Heavy Flamer, Multi-laser]

Veteran Squad

Veteran Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

[Demolitions, 3x Meltagun]

Chimera [Dozer Blade, Heavy Flamer, Multi-laser]

Heavy Support

Leman Russ Squadron

2x Exterminator [Heavy Bolter]

Wyvern Battery

2x Wyvern [Heavy Bolter]

Inquisitorial Detachment

HQ

Ordo Xenos Inquisitor [Force Sword, Power Armour, Psychotroke Grenades, Psyker (Mastery Level 1), Rad Grenades, 3x Servo Skulls, Venom Talon]

Elites

3x Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband [1x Psyker; 2x Acolyte - Chainsword, Flak Armour, Laspistol]

3x Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband [1x Psyker; 2x Acolyte - Chainsword, Flak Armour, Laspistol]

3x Inquisitorial Henchmen Warband [1x Psyker; 2x Acolyte - Chainsword, Flak Armour, Laspistol]

***************************************************

Name:  Josh Evans

Codex: Astra Militarum

Primary Detachment: Combined Arms Detachment

Primary Detachment

HQ

Warlord - Company Commander [Close Combat Weapon, Flak Armour, Laspistol]

Company Command Squad [Vox-caster, Lascannon]

Master of Ordnance [Close Combat Weapon]

Troops

Infantry Platoon

Platoon Commander [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, Orders]

Platoon Command Squad [Vox-caster, Lascannon]

Chimera [Extra Armour, Heavy Bolter, Multi-laser, Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

9x Guardsman [Grenade Launcher, Vox-caster]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

9x Guardsman [Grenade Launcher, Vox-caster]

1x Heavy Weapons Squad [3x Autocannon]

1x Heavy Weapons Squad [3x Autocannon]

Infantry Platoon

Platoon Commander [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, Orders]

Platoon Command Squad [Vox-caster, Lascannon]

Chimera [Extra Armour, Heavy Bolter, Multi-laser, Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

9x Guardsman [Grenade Launcher, Vox-caster]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

9x Guardsman [Grenade Launcher, Vox-caster]

1x Heavy Weapons Squad [3x Autocannon]

1x Heavy Weapons Squad [3x Autocannon]

Infantry Platoon

Platoon Commander [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol, Orders]

Platoon Command Squad [Vox-caster, Lascannon]

Chimera [Extra Armour, Heavy Bolter, Multi-laser, Pintle-mounted Heavy Stubber]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

9x Guardsman [Grenade Launcher, Vox-caster]

Chimera [Extra Armour, Heavy Bolter, Multi-laser]

Infantry Squad

Sergeant [Close Combat Weapon, Laspistol]

9x Guardsman [Grenade Launcher, Vox-caster]

Heavy Support

Deathstrike [Heavy Bolter]

Deathstrike [Heavy Bolter]

Manticore [Camo Netting, Heavy Bolter]

***************************************************

Name:  Shaun Moloney

Codex: Eldar - Iyanden

Primary Detachment: Combined Arms Detachment

Primary Detachment

HQ

Spiritseer

Elites

Fire Dragon Exarch [Fast Shot, Fusion gun]

5x Fire Dragons

Wave Serpent [Holo-fields, Twin-linked scatter lasers, Twin-linked shuriken catapults]

Troops

5x Dire Avenger

Wave Serpent [Holo-fields, Shuriken cannon, Twin-linked scatter lasers]

5x Dire Avenger

Wave Serpent [Holo-fields, Shuriken cannon, Twin-linked scatter lasers]

5x Wraithguard [D-scythe]

Wave Serpent [Holo-fields, Shuriken cannon, Twin-linked scatter lasers]

Fast Attack

6x Swooping Hawks

Heavy Support

Warlord - Wraithknight [Scatter laser, Suncannon and Scattershield]

Wraithknight [Two Heavy Wraithcannons]

***************************************************

Name:  Tim Adams

Codex: Space Wolves; Imperial Knights; Officio Assassinorum

Primary Detachment: Combined Arms Detachment; Imperial Knight Detachment; Officio Assassinorum Detachment

Primary Detachment

HQ

Warlord - Wolf Lord [Thunderwolf, Runic Armour, Storm Shield, Thunder Hammer]

Wolf Priest [Bike, Runic Armour]

Troops

5x Blood Claws

Drop Pod [Storm Bolter]

10x Grey Hunter [10x Bolt Pistol, 8x Bolter, 2x Meltagun]

Drop Pod [Storm Bolter]

Fast Attack

Thunderwolf Cavalry Pack

Thunderwolf Cavalry Pack Leader [Bolt Pistol, Storm Shield]

2x Thunderwolf Cavalry [Bolt Pistol, Chainsword]

2x Thunderwolf Cavalry [Chainsword, Storm Shield]

1x Thunderwolf Cavalry [Storm Shield, Thunder Hammer]

Heavy Support

Stormfang Gunship [2x Stormstrike Missiles, 2x Twin-linked Multi-Meltas]

Imperial Knight Detachment

Knight Errant

Officio Assassinorum Detachment

Elites

Vindicare Assassin

40k Masters lists are out...

Drum roll please...

The breakdown is:

1x pure Eldar

1x pure Iyanden Eldar

1x Necron allied with Necron

1x pure Astra Militarum

1x Inquisition allied with Astra Militarum/Space Marines/Grey Knights/Assassins

1x Space Marines (Ultramarines) allied with Space Marines (White Scars)

1x Astra Militarum allied with Inquisition

1x Space Wolves allied with Imperial Knights/Assassins

Interesting times, looking forward to the weekend! 

I'll post lists over the next few days, I'll leave the predictions on placings to others!

Army composition in 40k tournaments

40k is chaos. 

Not since the heyday of 2nd edition has there been an unprecedented level of army customisation available to the 40k tournament player. 

Since 6th edition and the allies matrix hit the shelves, after four editions of no allies except for fun games, there have been all sorts of combinations hitting the tables (some of them somewhat egregious in my opinion, hello yes I am looking at you Tigurius and O'Shovah and the Riptide Collective. Unicorn levels of Shame right here).

7th edition is now here and it's only got more intense, with the new and improved allies matrix, the bound/unbound armies, rapid fire pace of weekly releases with rules published in the White Dwarf Weekly, dataslates, formations, Forgeworld 40k approved... and so on.

Even for the most well endowed people (with regards to having both financial and available hobby time freedom to spend and participate every waking hour of the day that is, what were you thinking?), it's almost impossible to keep up with whatever is the latest meta, as people seek the Holy Grail ultimate combination of units to sweep all before them by Turn 2 (possibly coincidentally this being when their first wave of flyers turn up). 

And this is doing three things - firstly, it's keeping everything vaguely fresh as no army appears to gain more than a fleeting advantage over any other; secondly, this means that being a good player matters, you can only 'point and click' so much; and thirdly it's reinforcing the GW mantra that you should be able to play with whatever toys you want. (Oh, yeah, can't forget all the awesome models that are being released too, sorry)

For playing at the local club, shop, or in a local league, or campaign, sure thing - knock yourself out. Use everything. Have fun.

For playing at a tournament, not so much. Caveat: Yes still have fun, just not the other stuff. You know what I mean...

In my experience of tournaments (and judging by the many many people populating forums and writing blogs on the hobby), the spectrum of players ranges from those that derive pleasure from wanting to WAAC (Win At All Costs) - people sometimes affectionately known as WAACers or Cheesemongers - to those who are referred to as Fluff Bunnies, or players who only take units or formations that are less than optimal because the background states many examples of this type of army appearing so they are being historically correct (? can you apply that to a futuristic sci-fi setting? Futuristically correct? Anyway, again - you know what I mean)

Composition - a short history

Army composition in tournaments, in some form or another, has been around for time immemorial (well, since 1998 at least... you know, when 3rd edition came out). And no I'm not talking about the Force Org chart or Bound/Unbound armies. 

A lot of people will remember the GW GT's and their successors that started out when 3rd edition was released - first there was peer comp marked after every game, then there was a bit of a dabbling in panel peer comp (marked before the tournament), plus attempted maths comp (or as I like to remember it, 'peer comp by umpire'). Certainly greater minds than mine have wrestled with this thorny issue.

Those people that took tricked-out lists (commonly referred to as 'That Guy’) often did not win tournaments as you had to score highly in all categories of which Battle was only 40% or maybe 50% and Army Comp made up 15-25%. They were sometimes not very nice people to play either so got stung in Sports as well. Not to say they didn't win tournaments, it was just a lot more difficult for them. And they sometimes even left before prizegiving in a bit of a sulk, saying something like: 

Maybe nobody truly understood them... (until now)

There was, I'd like to think, looking back with my rose-tinted glasses on, a general understanding, generally, of what was 'right'... or at least, 'right-ish'. I'm talking the 'if it looks like it and smells like it, it probably is...it" test.. Fluff used as a justification for taking certain units or combinations was regularly used and abused (particularly on the modelling front, things can look different on paper compared to in the flesh, a bit like Plaguecrushers of Nurgle, if you get what I’m saying), but the general composition by popular opinion or the opinion of a group of prominent gamers/cult of personality was king. I know because I was a part of it.

Then you had the problem of one person's fluff being another person's cheese... and so forums would rage with impassioned arguments to try and sway readers one way or another. People would post lists asking for a comp rating, and then take the feedback on board (maybe) and go off and tweak it to make it a little more acceptable to the 'community'. Or to surreptitiously put a rock in the proverbial sock.

Enough of that. What's the point of this post? 

I am still in a believer in Army Composition for tournaments. My view on this hasn't really changed, but how this could be achieved has evolved.

Why do I care? Well, I want to know, as a player, that if I am spending a reasonable investment (money/time/social investment with the person across the table from me) to attend a tournament, I want to go and have some good hard games against other players, not a crap shoot against goofy lists. This is under my control (as I can vote with my feet).

The flip side is. if I am running a tournament and expecting people to spend a reasonable investment (money/time/social investment) to attend, then, as a TO, I want it to be inclusive. I don't want a newbie turning up and encountering 5 games of Necron Air Force Spam (sorry Necron players, I know it's not your fault, the Society of Hidden Immortals, Tombblades and Flayed Ones for Realistic Regular Equal-opportunity Army Lists or S.H.I.T.F.O.R.R.E.A.L. forced me to write that)

What's the answer then?

Where I see 40k suffers, compared to WHFB, in that there is no simple way to gently limit choices. In WHFB, you have to meet the parameters of:

• Up to 50% (now) Lords/Heroes
• Minimum 25% Core
• Up to 50% Special
• Up to 25% Rare 

.... plus restrictions on duplicate choices for Special/Rare. 

Other limitations are determined by the local environment (see FoB Lite, or the ETC) 

To be fair, WHFB is much better internally balanced across the armies compared to 40k, although in my view, the WHFB ETC is an example of comp taken just that little bit too far, where they try to rewrite core rules to balance out the armies. But I digress, this is about 40k...

Now bearing in mind that this whole 40k army comp business is irrelevant when you're playing your mates - what we're looking at here is when it's a game vs a complete stranger in a setting where you have both paid money to attend... because… let's be honest… asking wargamers to self-regulate their lists and expecting it to consistently happen without someone telling them where the boundaries are is a bit like the vision of free market economics - it just doesn't quite work in reality without some sort of outside intervention. 

And even those that start out with the noblest of intentions may have their resolve slowly eroded over time until they hit the somewhat selfish "Well what about MY enjoyment? I'm going to take a list I like using and stuff everyone else".

So... if we used WHFB as a template (to show how that wouldn't work), imagine if I told you that you had to spend 465 points of your 1850pt army on Troops from your Primary Detachment. Most* Space Marine players would have a fit ("What? You mean you are forcing me to spend points on four Scout squads not two? THAT'S NOT FAIR!"). On the other hand, Eldar players with their Wave Serpent skimmerforce would be laughing all the way to the top tables as it makes no difference to them. 

*some

No... this is trying to use a system that is not designed for it.

So I am looking for some ideas or general discussion from you, the reader, the collective mind, the gestalt consciousness... (ok yes Jeff you too <sigh>) on how to implement simple army composition for 40k tournaments in this brave new world, with some general caveats - or - as I have just coined, the Fully SIC model, that is:

• Simple is good 
• Inclusive is good
• Changing rules is bad. 

But you know, the easiest way to apply composition to what people bring is to lower it to 1500 points

Yes I know people like big points values so they can bring all their snazzy stuff. But less points to play with means that, generally, people are going to have to make a hard choice or two about what units they will take and the less rules you as a TO need to put in place to encourage diversification. It encourages 'balanced' lists purely because of lack of ability to take everything.

For Tournament Composition, my opinion and suggestions are:

Core Restrictions (that should be compulsory most of the time)

• Battle Forged army lists only
• No 40k approved Forgeworld units or Forgeworld army lists. Sorry but these are, in general, not very balanced in the context of actual core Codexes/Dataslates/Formations. Save them for your friendly games at your local club. Nice models though, no problems for them to be used as proxies.
• No Apocalypse (anything)
• No Trial/Optional rules

Voluntary Restrictions (that should be seriously considered)

• No Lords of War under 2000pts. At high points games it's not really a drama, because if you want to drop 500+pts into a single unit... well... let's just say that's fine by me.
• No Fortifications
• Cannot ally with same faction
• Minimise the number of Detachments/Dataslates/Formations. For example, no more than 4 unique detachments or formations may be taken up in lists up to 2000pts. This allows some flexibility and won't affect most players, although the crowd that want to take Inquisition + Sororitas + Grey Knights + Imperial Knights + an Assassin will be annoyed... hey. That's me!
• Maximise the number of flyers allowed (one per 750pts or something)

So examples of this might be:

Easy comp

1500pts. Core Restrictions, plus Voluntary Restrictions of no Lords of War or Fortifications, cannot ally with same faction. 

Vaguely restrictive comp

1750 points. Core Restrictions. Voluntary Restrictions 4 Detachments/Dataslates/Formations, cannot ally with same faction, maximum 3 flyers

You get the picture.

So yes - thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Improvements? Suggestions? 

Lords of War this weekend

Saturday sees the Wellington Warlords running a 1-day 40k tournament over 5 rounds, called Lords of War.

At 750pts, with a few restrictions on what you can/can't take, its an ideal way to a) get into the game/meet new people; b) try out a new army (before you go and spend bazillions on it), and; c) just have fun rolling dice for a day.

The restrictions are:

-No allies, fortifications,  Escalation, or Stronghold Assault units

-No D weapons

-No Forgeworld or Imperial Armour units

-No dataslates

-No special/ unique/ named characters/ Lords of War (ironically)

-No flyers or flying monstrous creatures [monstrous creatures with wings may move as jump infantry only].

-Elite, fast attack, and heavy support slots limited to 2 unit selections each.

- 1 HQ unit only

So the list I am taking is:

HQ: Lord Commissar, Carapace Armour

No Force Org: Ministorum Priest, Autogun

TR: Veterans: Lasgun, Lascannon, Meltagun x3, Forward Sentries

TR: Infantry Platoon

PCS: 3x Flamer, 1x Heavy Flamer, Krak Grenades, Meltabombs (Commander), Chimera w/Multi-laser + Heavy Bolter

Squad 1: Sergeant w/Power Axe, Plasma Gun, Lascannon

Squad 2: Plasma Gun, Lascannon

HWT 1: 3x Autocannon

HWT 2: 3x Autocannon

FA: Rough Riders (5): Meltagun, Meltabombs (Sergeant)

All that is left to do is paint a laspistol and convert/paint a power axe for the sergeant. 

I must say I am looking forward to getting back into 40k, and being able to use all the gaming paraphernalia that I bought in the UK :). I must start getting all the models out and checking them for breakages... and thank my wife again for supporting my hobby!

Desperately Seeking ...some older models

I am currently building my Inquisition Warbands and using a mix of old metal models I have lying around for the, as I like to call them, ‘working’ squads e.g. my Necromunda Bounty Hunter

while I build some converted plastic models (for the ‘modelling/painting’ squads).

Having (unbelievably frustratingly) missed out on an auction for some of the Last Chancer squad models, I’d like to just ask anyone that can help that I am looking for any of the following metal models you might have lying around in your collections that you are willing to part with.

• Last Chancers (squad members only)
• Necromunda: Delaques, Cawdor, Redemptionists, Goliaths, Van Saars, Hired Guns, or Eschers
• Mordheim Cult of the Possessed Magister, Darksouls
• Mordheim Sisters of Sigmar Matriarch (the one with the hammer), SoS Sister Superiors
• Mordheim Necromancer

Any models so supplied will be painted within three months!

The SFL vs the World

Righto, here’s my report on my 5 games against very nice people.

Game 1 – vs Ryan Stuart (Daemons)
Ryan had (1000pts as per scenario):
Herald of Tzeentch, L2
25 Daemonettes of Slannesh
10 Pink Horrors
4 Beasts of Nurgle
Skullcannon

Ryan has played 40k and is making his way into the twisting turning alleys of the Olde World.

As per the scenario rules he asked me to deploy my entire army first (which would also give me first turn).

As you can see Ryan set up on quite a refused flank. Turn 1 I moved the Carnosaur and CoC forward to tempt the Beasts into a charge. It didn’t work, and in his turn the dreaded Skullcannon fired...

Turn 2 for me the Carnosaur and CoC combi-charged the Beasts, wiping them out and overrunning. The Carnosaur made it to the Skullcannon, while the CoC got forward enough to charge the Pink Horrors.

The other thing that was happening was the Skink Skirmish unit march blocking and ultimately drawing the Daemonette unit into the marsh where they suffered Dangerous Terrain tests. And then I spent the rest of the game whittling them down through weight of javelin and Beam of Chotec shots until they were all gone.

Thoughts: 
In this game everything the Bastiladon did went right. I should have taken this as an omen as the rest of the tournament because he did pretty much nothing else really in comparison! It’s reasonably good for 150pts...although it really needs Impact Hits GW! Pleeeeeease. I’ll buy a second one if you do!

20-0 to me

Game 2 vs Ben Crum (Vampire Counts)
Ben had:
L4 Necromancer, 4++
L2 Necromancer, Book of Arkhan
L1 Blender Vampire (Death), Sword of Might
20 Crypt Ghouls
5 Dire Wolves
5 Dire Wolves
20 Zombies
Spirit Host
Spirit Host
Terrorgheist

We deployed alternatively which allowed me as the attacker to go first. I deployed a two pronged advance with the intention that something would make its way off.

This game started well (or so I thought). Ben vanguarded his Dire Wolves out, so in my Turn 1 the Carnosaur charged, connected, wiped them out, and overran into the Terrorgheist.

Ben’s Turn 1 – Terrorgheist screams in combat, Scar Vet is dead, Carnosaur has 2 wounds left (and is now Stupid), can’t do anything back, my Turn 2 he does nothing (again) and then Ben’s Turn 2 is mercifully put out of his misery.

Where for art thou, carnosaur?

The Terrorgheist then flapped off and killed (over several turns):
BSB
Saurus Cav
1x Skrox unit (the remains of)

Vampire and Ghouls never even needed to get into combat.

Yikes.

At the end of the game I had some of a Skrox unit left (the ones that finally beat the Spirit Host with CR).

... After this photo was taken, obviously.

Thoughts:
With the benefit of hindsight I should have just smashed up one flank with everything, I wanted to force Ben to choose where the Terrorgheist went which I still think was a good idea (maybe it wasn’t) but it certainly didn’t quite execute.

2-18 to Ben

Game 3 – vs Robert Higgins (Warriors of Chaos)
Robert had:
Chaos Lord, MoN, Flail, Scaled Skin, Flaming Breath, Ironcurse Icon, Daemonic Mount
Chaos Sorceror, MoN, DS, Luckstone, Warrior Bane, Enchanted Shield, Potion of Foolhardiness, Daemonic Mount
14 Marauder Horse, MoN, Flails, LA, Shield
5 Chaos Warhounds
6 Chaos Knights, MoN, Wailing Banner

I was reasonably confident that I could deal with this army, as long as I charged... So I did against the Nurgle Knights with the Carnosaur and the CoR and just bounced. Damn -1 to hit! Luckily the Scar-Vet on the Carnosaur held but he couldn’t do anything. At all.

When the Carnosaur did eventually hit and wound the Nurgle Lord (just the once) it only did 1 wound. Eventually the Scar-Vet and the Carnosaur both died a death. And surely deserved to.

Funniest moment of the game:
The Marauder Cav bus charged a Skrox unit in Dangerous Terrain, won the combat, failed to run the Skrox down, lost a crapload of models to the terrain, failed their subsequent Ld test, and then ran off the board in the next turn. LOLs all round.

At the end of the game I controlled the two objectives that allowed me bonuses for future games. Robert controlled the Cursed Watchtower (which had penalties for the next game) and 300VP.

1-19 to Robert

Thoughts:
Stupid carnosaur

Game 4 – Peter Williamson (Tomb Kings)
Peter had:
Liche High Priest, Ruby Ring
3 Chariots
3 Chariots
17 Skellie Bows
10 Skellie Bows
Tomb Scorpion
Tomb Scorpion
3 Carrion
Necrosphinx

I had forgotten that Necrosphinxes fly. So I was initially cautious with my movement as I was petrified of that damn Necrosphinx flying in and Heroic KB’ing my Carnosaur or BSB. As it turns out he did that to the BSB

... but that allowed my Carnosaur to pull off an audacious long charge into the unit of 17 Skellie Bows, wiping them out in one glorious charge, which led to...

Funniest moment of the game:
Liche Priest IF’s Usekhp’s Incantation of Desiccation which reduced the Scar-Vet and Carnosaur’s toughness by 3pts to T2... just as they had received a charge from three chariots. This had a predictable result in the ensuing combat. The resulting Miscast though sent the Priest down a hole and allowed me to salvage a draw (at the end of the game I had the Bastiladon and the Skrox unit showing, he had a Tomb Scorpion...) from all the subsequent crumbling.

10-10 draw (I was 35VP ahead so I take it as a win! <cough>)

Thoughts:
I should have been braver and risked the T1 charge with the Carnosaur into a unit of Chariots, it was only 18”... yeah right!

Game 5 – vs Ian Dixon (Bretonnians)
I’d like to start with an apology to Ian as, with my fuddled mind after 4 games in a row, I completely forgot to take any photos of our game...

It was also just wrong that the two good guy armies were facing off against each other too.

Ian had:
Paladin, Virtue of Confidence, Lance of Artois
Paladin, BSB, Armour of Agilulf, Shrieking Blade, Potion of Foolhardiness
6 Knights Errant, Errantry Banner
5 KotR, Banner of Chalons
5 KotR, Banner of Swiftness
15 Peasant Bowmen, Braziers
15 Peasant Bowmen, Braziers
6 Mounted Yeomen, Shields
3 Pegasus Knights

In this game I used my bonus 100pt unit picked up in an earlier game, so got 7 Chameleon Skinks.

Ian’s army prayed, so I went first and forced the Yeomen to flee with the Chameleon shooting, and also sent forward the CoC and the Carnosaur to encourage the Knights Errant to charge.

This worked, and resultant carnage ensued where eventually the CoC got flank charged by the KotR with the General in it - they survived and reformed, blocking the Carnosaur from getting in amongst it (there was no other way...). The Peg Knights charged and eventually made a unit of Skrox flee after a couple of turns but wore the Carnosaur the turn after that.

2x Kroxigor made short work (eventually) of the BSB in about Turn 5.

20-0 to me

Overall results can be found here http://www.thefieldsofblood.com/2014/11/vermintide-results_17.html

I was pretty stoked to come away with Best Presented, that centrepiece model with the added distraction of the Bastiladon really paid off I think. Thanks everyone for your votes!

A big thank you to Neil for running it and the Wellington Warlords for hosting. Love these one day events!

And I am also happy my only failed prediction was 1st place. How could you do this to me Peter?? At least 2nd and 3rd were 1st and 2nd. And well done to Hugh for getting those 14 Bloodletters near a podium. That won’t happen again any time soon!

Next time? Less Carnosaur. And more Saurus Cav. And more Terradons. And play better.