O'Vesa Tau - Most Sporting Award?

I'll try and keep this brief and take time to go into detail into each game at a later date but I thought I should update the blog a bit as it seems like ages since I actually posted...

Before I start, I did walk away with a trophy, one I have never won before... Most Sporting/Best Sport! Love it!

O'Vesa Tau = Most Sporting game you will have all weekend!  I was genuinely not expecting it, I try and be a good guy when I play in tournaments.. sometimes like everyone else I get too wrapped up in the game.. at the first Death or Glory tournament I got caught up in an argument over whether I could see Mephiston with some Sniper Drones it was silly and we resolved it, but I felt a bit of a dick afterwards.. funnily enough, at that tournament I ended up 6th on generalship, but something like 3rd overall after 'Most Sporting' votes... perhaps there is a trend here.. Maybe I am a good lad to play.

So I guess it goes to show that even running Tau and the most popular Deathstar Tau build out there right now, you can still be a good guy and have good games with people. Warhammer is more than just a strategy game, the joy of it over computer games etc is that it is truly an interactive game for 2 people. Sometimes I think some of us forget that there are two players and that it should be a fun and relaxing environment. Now, don't get me wrong.. I'm a very competitive guy... I'm ranked 15th in the country, have won multiple events and played for the England ETC team this year. I'm also "Most Sporting Cally 2014" - an award I am immensely proud of.

Overall I scored 66/90 possible tournament points. This would place me in 16th or 17th (and be one of MY WORST RESULTS EVER) however, unfortunately for me... I changed my list the day after submission after playtesting some more and confirming my fears that I was vulnerable to certain match ups. This cost me 10 tournament points (which I knew it would) and placed me in 35th overall.

*Making it my absolute worst ever performance in terms of position...*

35th out of 114. Top third.....? Am I happy with that.

No. Not really. I was aiming for top 10 again.. I would have been close if I hadn't had my admin scores penalised, but that is the way the scoring works... so no bitching here folks :)

However, on pure gaming ability (and not my admin failure) am I happy with 16/17th? Yeah sure I am.

I won 3, drew 1 and lost 1 from the five game tournament.

I think I could have won the draw given more practice against the build, but I think my list suffered in the match up and whilst I could have clawed a few more points out of the game, I am unsure on how to win that scenario vs the list I played (Andy Oakham and his O'vesa in Hammer and Anvil, 3 Relics, Home and Away mission primary, KP secondary is the one I lost and think I would struggle with if I played it again)

I played the following:

Game 1 - Chris Scothorne's (regular northen tournament player, lovely bloke) AV13 Necron Wall: Win 15-5

Game 2 - Alex Bongers' (Belgium ETC, great sport) Ravenwing Bikes (Built ala Neil Kerr)
Win 19-1   

Game 3 - Andy Oakham's (Welsh ETC and overall top tournament lad) O'Vesa Tau
Loss 13-7

Game 4 -  Matt Robertson's (Welsh ETC Capt and top boy) 3 FMC/3 Heldrake CSM/CD  
Draw 10-10

Game 5 - Mark Pocock's (Sons' very own MarkyMark; tournament player/ possible England ETC lad) Redundant Screamer Council
Win 15-5

It was held up at the North West Gaming Centre in Stockport - a venue I have not made the journey to before. When the Blog Wars tournaments moved to the far north I decided not to go, it's a bit too far for a one day tournament. having done it for a weekend, I am cemented in my view on that.
Driving up to Stockport from Cambridge on Friday night, 2 intense gaming days and then driving back on Sunday after Awards made for a very tiring weekend. My classes have been somewhat sedate this week... good job my contact time is less than a normal teacher or I'd be fucked! haha

In depth reports on the games and tactical lessons learnt to follow over the course of the next week, interwoven with more hobby updates on my Bikes and I'm "rusting" up my Crons after being inspired by and discussing hobby stuff with Andy O... But if they are reading, I just want to say a massive thank you to my opponents from the weekend and thank you to the Scottish ETC team for their work in organising the event and to Tim King for being a hero.