Killswitch just asked "how did you boys get on this weekend"
Honestly, I don't want to say.
We were at the X-Legion Tournament in ... not sure, the New Forest somewhere (Atreides has some wicked photos of the place etc that will make people lol I think..)
Awesome event, great to be a part of and something that I will certainly look to get stuck into again.
The competition was so much tougher than the first tournament Atreides and I went to with the Brighton Warlords. As our first singles tournament our expectations were not massively high, but both expected to be up at the top of the tables etc..
um...
Shit.
That didn't happen. We screwed ourselves. One of us should have taken one for the team, but that is not really cool. So we played it straight.
Yes, you guessed it... we played each other first game rather than a nice gentle one... we each could have picked 38 other guys... but no.
But essentially...we drew each other first game.
Appealed.
Denied.
Smashed the crap out of each other, stayed mid tables, I played the same IG army (including Atreides) 3 times...3 draws. Lost twice to Mech Eldar and Chaos Marines of all fucking things and only won one game against a more traditional hammer mech Blood Angels dude.
Andy picked up slightly day 2,getting a win vs Dark Eldar game 4, whilst I got stuck vs Rupert P and his IG, drew and just fucking gave up.
We were boned from the start.
We reflected alot, and both our armies are designed to tackle the real hardcore shit, not the weird and sometimes wonderful choices we saw on the tables...
Essentially, Killswitch was right a few weeks back in his first post for SoS... whilst there are certainly optimum armies, you WILL NOT always face them! Prepare for the average choices now and then.
The counter argument of course is that this should always stomp the 'average' choices.
But you simply may not have the tools. For example, vs MechDar, I comfortably took out all 3 units of Fire Dragons and Wave Serpents, but then simply could not get close enough to bring all my melta to bear. He was too fast and danced about picking up easy KP's...MSU BA had too many KP's...interestingly enough...both games I lost were KP's and I felt thoroughly in control for the entire game...never really felt like I was losing.. but the simple fact is KP's boned me.
Now, I should know this, but I went for a decisive win to get ahead after a pair of draws in games 1 & 2 - to get me out of the mid tables, up to the top where I know the army would have performed superbly against the standard Space Wolves and pissing foot Space Marines and Drop Pod Marines that were up there!
By making that somewhat bold attempt, I paid the price and lost by 2 KP's in game 3, ending the first day.
The VP's.... 1029 - 1021... 8VP's in it.
Day 2:
So we wake up feeling ready for a nice easy game, with Atreides on 2 losses and a Draw and myself on 2 draws and a loss.
We are hoping for an easy game on the lower tables, bounce midfield, smash something... then finish top 10...
I rolled up IG for the 3rd time, basically the same list as I had already played twice... and drew. Rupert was a top lad and fun to play against, but the list is boring and bloody hard. the hard bit...well, it should be...it is a tournament afterall.
I then stayed where I was and Rupert moved up, despite me winning on VP's... this actually worked out nicely for him and not so great for me... I lost to a very experienced old boy running CSM.
Again, KP's. I lost my Preds and Vindies and a couple of 5 man RAS squads, but still had 4 melta units and 6 Razors gunning for his oblits and few remaining thousand sons. This is having dealt with the 2 berzerker squads and a daemon prince, a trio of Rhino's and having repositioned to the point where the other DP was out of touch with the game.
But the game ended T5 and I lost.. again.
Played a thoroughly nice dude last game, he had a really solid army, AssC Razors, AC/LC Preds, Typhoons, AssC Baals, LRR with Unleash Rage Libbie and 10 man RAS with Claws and shit..
But I went first, pitched battle, seize ground.
I was pissed off by this point and just tabled him. After turn 1...it was never going to be any different. Everything worked the way it is supposed to and I felt a small measure of vindication at my abysmal perfomance...
I finished 29/40 and Atreides finished 21/40
Piss poor for the SoS boys...perhaps our hubris deserved the humiliation.
Now, Killswitch...please post so this newsflash doesn't get too well read.
Pics tomorrow
haha, i would like to add that i was actually pretty happy with my performance in the end. i only had one game where i played badly, and i was punished. my other loss was against an 8kp BA list, and the guy played a blinder, so thats fine with me. the other games were entirely fair results. will post a proper summary tommorrow.
ReplyDeleteTold you msu sucks in kp missions but the internet hates me for saying it. Still considering you took a list with no playtesting, u didnt do too bad. the brighton warlord doubles tourney certainly is fairly low in terms of competativeness in comparison to whats out there :) the uk scene, or as stated before, the meta is very different to what the internet tells you :D
ReplyDeleteNah ill post something once the blogosphere knows of your failure lol ill post something tommoz as im not at home (on my phone). Looking forwards to the bton singles tourney in april :) shud be bit harder, few very experienced players shud be there this time. Btw, hoelw did the outflanking storm troopers do? And what was in ruperts ig list?
Unlucky lads.
ReplyDeleteI feel you on the MSU KP thing - I've had 3 or 4 games agaisnt people not Atriedes, where I felt like the entire game I was in control, and yet lost something like 10-8 or 9-8 just because ultimatly AV11 is quite flimsy and gives up easy KP's that you dont really feel like your losing out for control of the game.
Andy (Atreides) any knowledge on how Alan / Andy / Ross got on? I tried looking up the results and seen a couple of Ross's mentioned.
As for the "meta" thing - its true - not every one takes net lists or fully optimised stuff, especially since tourneys do get anyone and everyone signing up - even had that in wow arena. You'd be rocking high ratings then out of knowwhere you see an incredibly odd lineup, nature of the game.
I am genuinely ready to go again now. I felt a little depressed last night/this morning...but I am ready to roll and try again...
ReplyDeleteRupert ran:
CCS - Plasma. CHimera
PBS - 8 psykers. on foot.
PCS - Melta. Chimera
2 x 10 Guardsmen, Commissar (mini-blob)
SWS - Melta
Vets - Melta. Chimera. (x 2 of them I think)
Vendetta
Vendetta
Vendetta
Manticore
Manticore
2 x Hydra
Unlucky boys, seems like some really weird lists were being taken but it's all a learning curve I guess. Any thoughts on changes/things that definitely didnt work or was it just generally KP screwing you over?
ReplyDeleteCompetition was very tough. The lists were not 'weird'...thats the wrong word really.
ReplyDeleteIf you read 3++ or YTTH...the lists you see there are fantastic, but on the tabletops, I'm learning, this is not what you will always see... so by creating an army that is at home with Mech Guard or Wolves, mech or Jump BA, the Nid build etc...all the standard competitive stuff...you leave gaps in your build vs other stuff.
Or at least, thats the issue that the Immospam list has...Atreides well built IG DO have the right tools to apply to anything...
I think Atreides was very happy with his list and overall performance in the end...
For me, the army works and deserves another go! lol.
But today....it's entirely possible that I built a load of Venoms and Hellions to run that army I posted back at the start of January!! Need a change again...but this time...I'm sticking to it!!
I made a change away from BA's myself ven - I just plain stopped enjoying them. I've switched up for Brighton and after that it will be GK's - and I'll be running the 2 armies I love - and hopefully have 1 fully painted by then as well - with the option to run multiple codex's if I do get bored.
ReplyDeleteSo potentially DE to Brighton then?
The real problem with "net lists" or any off shot of them is that they are all there for everyone to access, which means most players have the chance to plan or think about how to beat them, also Stelek and Kirby and his gang rarely play just the plain missions from the rulebook like we here in the UK do, that's why deathstars can still work here, but not in games with a several objectives, table quarter claiming and VP.
ReplyDeleteBut at the end of the day if the dice screw you over the dice screw you over!
^ Agreed. Glad someone realises :D! Out tourneys arn't all Nova, so dont expect nova lists to work in the UK at out pt values :P! As for your army Ven, Maybe make a few changes but dont give up. Need a few playtests :) They arnt point and click like guard :P
ReplyDeleteThey will be finished up painting wise by the end of the week...they had 3 colours all, but only half were completely done... so I'll be going for finished job by weekend and keep playing them...they are not just going back in the box..
ReplyDelete@ Bully... the DE are just for local play at the minute, but I do like them...but I fear the prevalence of IG Hydra/Vend/MeltaVet spam armies... of which there were 7/8 at XLegion..would cripple them...
That said, your man Canyonemikeros (or Mike) from London way (I think) took the tournament with Dark Eldar.. A list kinda similar to the one I posted back in Jan.. but with some very, very fundamental changes.
Similar in it was Baron/Hellions/Ravagers... but he ran more Wracks and Incubi to my Trueborn with Blasters.
Based on observations from the weekend... I think he may very well have called it right.
I am swinging very much around to your position/point of view Alex... but am not quite there yet... I still feel that a well built list SHOULD be able to take on whatever comes at it...and I think that is a crucial point.. I think the ImmoBAliser needs a lot of practice...
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ReplyDeleteHi Ven,
ReplyDeletethanks for the game, it was great to have a chat about competitive play afterwards too!
My list was:
CCS, 4 plasma, chimera
CCS, 4 melta, chimera
PBS, 8 psykers, 1 overseer
Vet sqaud, 3 melta, chimera
PCS, 4 melta, chimera
Inf sqaud, Commisar
Inf sqaud
SWS, 3 melta
Vendetta
Vendetta
Vendetta
Manticore
Manticore
2 Hydras
It isn't exactly what I'd wanted to take and I've discussed with Killswitch before what I consider the top guard list but it's what I had available and was decent. As you said though, pretty boring!
Try not to feel too dejected about the tournament, I also faired quite poorly based mainly around match ups. First I played multi tourney winner Ash H (draw), then I played Rob T who is an extremely solid Eldar player (draw), I then played Harry A who was coming off an Open win and although I really should have seized the win he hang on in there and beat me (loss), I then played yourself, the 4th competitive player in a row (draw), I then played Phil and the dice were on fire and he could do nothing (win), then played Ross M and it was very hard fought but I edged it in the end! Although I didn't do that well, I certainly learnt a thing or two and probably had the best 6 opponents I've ever had in a tourney, it's all swings and roundabouts I guess!
I never go to a tournament hoping to play gimmers but I hope to play a list here or there which I am very confident of beating, over the 6 games I only played one of these, such is life I suppose (the game the dicre were on fire)!
Mikos' dark eldar list is something of a conglomerate of opinion from Mikos, myself and another of our gaming group Richard. I myself thought he needed more trueborn as it seems you thought prior to now so there is still differing opinion. Mikos did get better match ups than you or I over the course of the weekend but at the same time those games still need to be won. Quite when I'll hear the end of him winning I don't know!
Thanks for the game, I am aware I can have a bit of a cold expression on my face when I play but I honestly enjoyed it very much, even if the result was a bit naff for the both of us, hope to see you and Atredies (Dune fan I presume) at tournaments in the future!
Rupert :) x
Deleted first post: spelling!
Hi Rupert,
ReplyDeleteMIssed out your second CCS...thought they were the 2nd vets, couldn't remember...cheers for pointing it out.
I think I am overly critical and have an inflated sense of ability tbh! lol. My expectations were very high for where I thought I'd finish...based largely around having a game or two, as you say, of armies/players that I am confident of winning.
With 5 back to back competitive dudes..yes even the Chaos player...it was tough.
But you take alot of lessons from that.
I know I have learnt alot and yes, you will undoubtedly see Atreides and I in the future!
Thanks for the game bro...cold face? nah! just one of extreme constipation! lol. thought it might have been the food on day 1...
Having high expectations and being over critical is a v.good thing for competative gaming, believe me I wouldnt have made the bundles of cash I did without it. Even if it makes me look like I am sucking a lemon even when I am thouroughly enjoying a game of 40k (like my last game vs Atriedes, awesome game, but apparently I looked like he'd just shot my dog before we started).
ReplyDeleteAlso given that this is not a team game, a bad day or your mind just not playing well with you can throw you out, I've had shitty experiences just because I ate badly (the ill fated lan where all my team ate was the wagonwheels, for 8 straight hours ...).
But your list, I really wanted to play it myself, but I also didnt want to put it on the table without practicing it itself, so to go in "cold" to a tourney with it, pretty tough I think.