DevianID goes to the Media PA GT

[DevianID]

Howdy all, played in Mike Clark's St. Valentines Day Massacre tourney in Media PA this weekend, and my Blood Ravens took first of 53 after 5 games!! Bit of a wall of text follows, but 5 mini bat reps get long~!

List was:

Pedro Kantor

Librarian with Null Zone and Avenger

10 Termies with 2 cyclones and 2 chainfists (1 cyclone had 1 chainfist, one storm bolter had one chainfist)

2 ven dreads with extra armor, multimelta, stormbolters

2 10 man tac squads with flamers, las cannons, and bolter/powerfist sarges.

2 Las/Plas Razorbacks

5 scouts, 4 snipers 1 missile launcher

2 independent attack bikes with multimeltas

 

Overall, my list worked well. I was fortunate that I had good matches, and since the tourney used comp, that impacted the meta game significantly.

Missions 1 was 5 objectives. Primary (worth 10 battle points) was to have more objectives. Secondary (7 battle points) was kill points. Tertiary (4 battle points) was to kill the enemy HQ. Bonus (1) was to get an HQ into the enemies deployment zone. Spearhead deployement, special rule was that half the terrain was on fire (dangerous) while the other half was smoking (+1 to cover saves)

 

I played against a shrike list run by Tony Spino who is running Mechanicon in november, with Shrike, 5 vanguard with 3 SS, 2PF, 1TH, 1 Relic, 1 PW, 3 tac in rhinos and 2 dev. He had a crazy mix of weapons, the devs had 2 hb and 2 pc, the other was 2 las 2 missile. He didnt combat squad...

 

Turn 1 he siezed the init, and killed my infiltrated scouts with shrike. Since I got to pick the sides, and we clustered the objectives pretty close, I played a conservative game of slowly advancing until the end where I jumped out and murdered things. Shrike got a direct hit with Kantors OB and a few cyclone missile launchers, wounding everyone in the vanguard, but he made all the invuln saves and forced me to double back a bit to wipe him out. Worst part is, I made a huge play mistake and forget to null zone! I dont get the bonus point because of this, since my termies with HQ were needed to kill all units from objectives, but in the end he is only left with 1 dev squad. 21-0.

 

Mission 2 was Football! 1 objective in the exact center of the board, infantry can pick up the foot ball and move with it, but they may only move the normal 6 inch move/assault... no running/jumping/teleporting/transports. Player with the football at the end of the game wins Primary. Secondary was to kill all infantry and jump infantry. Tertiary was to kill HQ. Bonus point was to spike the football in the enemies deployment zone (touchdown!). Battle was pitched battle set up.

 

I played Lou's necrons here, who took 2nd best painted. He ran the Deciever, lord with res orb and veil, 9 immortals, 3x10 warriors, 5 destroyers, 1 monolith, 4 disruption scarabs. He put the monolith and 1 warrior squad in reserve... I assume hoping to turn 2 drop and get warriors on the football. I let him... no monolith means no cover for deciever.

 

He failed to get the monolith on turns 2 AND 3! So I remember null zone, and on turn 1 and 2 procede to put the 5 wounds on the deciever. The ven dreads advance on his crons, along with some of the termies (i combat squad them) I use an attack bike he failed to kill with the destroyers (made all the saves) to hold the destroyers in cc on the top of 2 until the libby comes over and kills them with the force weapon turn 4. I also shoot down the lead cron warrior unit, so his Will be Back puts his risen models into the other unit. He decides that since things are going badly, and the ven dreads with s10 will ruin the monolith, the lord with immortals will teleport behind the dread for rear armor shots. His plan works somewhat, but my kantor countercharge kills the lord, who fails his WBB, and the immortals die in the next round.

 

When the monolith does show, the reserved warriors have to get out, meaning only s5 shots from the monolith. My charges on turn 4 knock out almost everything, and he phases. I didnt score a touchdown, because my opponent told me even though it was only turn 4 the game ends with no other movement, and I dont fight him over the 1 bonus point. (Later, the judge says that if an opponent is tabled, you get the full time to determine if you get bonus points--thus I should have gotten this bonus point! But it ended up not mattering, and i found out the next day when mike made the announcement)

 

Mission 3 was an oddball victory points game. You earn vps from the enemy, and depending on how many you kill is what your battle points are, ranging from 0-20. If you each kill 1701 or more, however, both players get a 20. I didnt like this mission since both players could max out. Deployment was pitched battle. Bonus points (2) for getting an HQ into the deployment zone. I dont combat squad the termies here, but do combat squad the tacs.

 

I play Damien here, with his very pretty Egyptian tzeench force, who goes on to take second place. He has 2 Warptime/gift of chaos Tzeentch princes, 3 100 point 2xccw chaos dreads, 2 defilers with reapers, 2 Oblits, 10 csm with autocannon in a rhino (chaos undivided, no champion) and 18 thousand sons with gift of chaos. I had issues with Damien, but I wont bore you with those here

 

I again use null zone, and by turn 2 I kill both of his daemon princes (without the sniper scouts, who get stuck in reserve due me moving a unit before realizing that they didnt infiltrate like I declared they would). He rolls some crazy results on his dreads, and due to his wave approach of 2 DP in front, followed by 3 dreads, followed by oblits and defilers, his phalanx formation slows him down abit.

 

On the other table side, he set up the 18 1ksons, and the rhino with auto was center. I get a dread into the 1ksons on turn 3, and wipe them with termies on 4, null zone helps. My other dread kills one of his 3, then goes on to tie up 2 others, immobing one and doing some damage to the other (a DCCW). A combat squad trades for the oblits, the bikes sell themselves absorbing shots, and the razors deal scattered wounds before being put down. A second combat squad takes out his 1 arm dread, and my termies+last dread kill a defiler and his 10 man squad.

 

The las cannon combat squads take pot shots all game, wounding stuff from the daemon princes to killing the rhino. The glory 10 man squad got pinned from the disembark (i have to tell Damien his models ld is 9 not 10), allowing me that charge with my termies that killed the csm, although I probably would have got them even if they didnt get pinned, just at higher cost. Final things left standing, he had 1 immobed dread and 1 immobed defiler, earning me over 1700 points for the 20. I had the libby in his deployment zone for the +2 bonus points. On my side, the scouts, 2 combat squads with las cannons, 1 wound libby, and 1 termie was left alive. He got 14 points off of me.

 

Next day, I am on table 1. People complained his original mission (mission 4) was a bad mission (it would have been real bad for me, but it wasnt a bad mission overall IMHO) New Mission is 5 objectives, pitched battle, objectives are all in the middle of the table spread 12 inches apart from one side to the other, each one is worth 4 points, 2 for contesting. 2 bonus points for getting any unit into the enemies deployment zone.

 

I play another chaos space marine force run by a Mike, this time nurgle themed. He had a nurgle warptime prince, a nurgle daemon weapon chaos lord biker, 3x2 oblits, 9 noise marines with 7 sonic, Bmaster and Dsiren, 8 plagues with 2 plasma, and 5 nurgle bikers with 2 melta +pfist. Overall, not a lot of shooting at range after the 6 oblits, but he got a good comp score. He goes first, turboing up with the bikes and advancing with the prince. He moved the noise marines instead of firing the s8 shot... I asked him later about this, he said he would rather the bolters on turn 1. His tzeench also advance a bit.

 

My turn, I again nullzone and wipe out his daemon prince in one go. I love null zone when people throw their big beasties right at you, expecting to either live or take up so much shooting that your turn ends in failure. I did not combat squad the termies, knowing that the bikes have the charge, and knowing (or expecting) that with 10 termies + Pedro, his crazy daemon weapon wont kill all of em and my counter attack powerfists will wipe him. So, his turn 2, he takes the bait, and kills EIGHT termies with that charge turn. I am flabbergasted.

 

I flub my attacks back to boot, with only the 2 cyclones who have to swing into the bike squad, and I dont wipe the bikes out. So wow, thats what happens some times when you tempt the dice gods. I piled Pedro into the nurgle lord. My turn I bring a ven dread from hunting his 3 troops/oblits to assault into the lord as well. He used the daemon weapon to swing into the 2 surviving termies, killing both cyclones with 2 wounds on each after it was all said and done. The ven dread + null zone pastes him, and his bike with fist is left unengaged since he wasnt in base with pedro at the start, but he stays locked so I cant get shot until the ven dred pasted him in his turn.

 

Shooting saw the 6 oblits trade with 1 bike, a dread and 2 razors. My dread from the bike combat gets the nurgle marines when plasma guns fail to stop him, pedro + a combat squad take the noise marines, and the other combat squad kills his last oblit. He is left with a wounded 1ksons squad, I moved up to claim every single objective. However, the 1ksons hold out, killing my last attack bike AND my scouts in combat, ending with me getting 4 objectives with the bonus for the dread in his deployment, and him with a single model on the table, the 1ksons sorc on the final objective. Final was 18 me 4 him.

 

Final Round: Final round is capture and control+pitched battle (no dawn of war at all?) Primary is getting your opponents objective, secondary is kill points, tertiary is your home objective, +1 if an hq is within 6 of the enemies objective. I play vs orks. He has Ghaz, Big Mek +KFF, 2 battle wagons with ram+1shoota, 3 nobs (for getting a bwagon and sitting on objectives), 3 kans with big shootas, 3 with grotzookas, 9 tank bustas with nob+truck, 2 tank hammers, 11 lootas, 2 seperate rokit buggies, 19 shoota orks with klaw, 18 slugga orks with klaw, 2x12 truck orks with klaw. He goes first, I fail to seize.

 

Playing for first place. His turn 1, everything shuffles forward ~6 inches. He tries to kill some of my combat squaded termies and las cannon tac squadMy turn 1 shooting, he cover saves my orbital bombard on ghaz's bwagon (drats, cursed KFF!) I do kill his big mek wagon with side shots I set up, other shooting is mostly saved. His turn 2, he calls the waaagh, and ghaz+18 friends hit my combat squad, my termie combat squad, a bike (i could have prevented the bike from getting hit, it was a small misplay, but with no fist into the bike it didnt matter) and ghaz himself is in with a ven dread. The shoota squad of 19, whose wagon got blown, rolls a difficult terrain 6 to get the pfist into the same ven dread that ghaz is fighting. A truck squad hits my other bike and the klaw is on the other ven dread.

 

Combat, I kept myself too spread out for pedro's buff to work for the ghaz combat, which was a misplay. BUT, it doesnt matter, because I roll 3 1's on 5 2+ saves, wiping the termie squad to 1, while the combat squad also all dies in 1 turn to only ~8 wounds. Ghaz+1 pk nob takes both arms off the ven dread and immobs him. My bike is unwounded. I wiff with the termie, and the PK nob kills him. So yeah, termies fail a huge number of saves, and without the pfist attacks back, even pedros buff wouldnt have helped. Realistically, if my saves there were average, he was WAY to spread out to inflict critical damage. I mean, with 4 termies (1 died to loota fire) and only 5 armor saves, if I only failed 1 save the 3 surviving termies would have lived and DRASTICLY affected the late game, since nothing else could have hurt them other than the kans that assault my straggling troops.

 

But oh well. His other truck squad immobs my ven dread and kills the bike. Bottom of 2, I get out of the razors with the 2 pfist combat squads. Pedro +5 termies advance, the libby with one of the pfist combat squads. My other las cannon combat squad moves off the objective to also get in. I make sure that one of my combat squad unites the 2 seperate combats, and pedro's termies lay waste to 1 truck squad, the tacticals waste the shootas and ghazzs squad and the other truck squad. He kills a bike, a termie (the psword), the armless ven dread, and 1-2 marines. I win combat by 13, and he is left with a wounded ghaz and 2 shootas... So from 50 ork models to 3 by bottom of 2, but meanwhile my army is chewed up/out of position. I consolidate the termies and 2 pfist squads into ghaz, and the las cannon squad stays with the 2 shootas, seperating the combats.

 

Turn 3, his shooting kills a razor, and he gets a kan into a combat squad. Combat sees ghaz kill a pfist combat squad before taking 8 pfist wounds and dying. The shootas i believe, oddly, as I only kill 1 with my 8 marine attacks. His grots, which he put in reserve, failed to come on again. My shooting, pedro + whats left of the termies move up and kill one of the 3 nobs on his objective... they fail morale and run off the objective. At this point, time had been called ~10 min earlier! Wow, so only 3 turns. Both my opponent and I were a bit upset at only playing 3 turns--not at the judge at ourselves.

 

We only had a real rules issue for less than 5 min (my opponent states that he plays that you can see through solid trees if you are in the area terrain with them, I stated that the game uses true line of sight, but I gave him all his shots anyway, after laying on guilt that I would never take such a shot myself), so mostly all that time was taken up in his turn 2 moving 50 orks 3 seperate times (regular move + disembark, 6 inch waaagh, difficult terrain assault move with careful multi assaults into 5 of my units.) for that multi assault, and my turn 2 where I killed them all. At the end of turn 3, my las cannon combat squad was on my objective, and I won on kill points due to time being called so early. Thus I got 11, and as his 3 nob troop fled off his objective he got 0. I only won kill points because, since we were using the adepticon/inat FAQ, any squads in reserve (his grots) at the end of the game count as dead. Without that, we were tied at 7 kill points each.

 

Since we both felt unsatisfied with the top table only getting 3 turns, we did extrapolate what would happen if the game went on. We determined that on turn 6, 3 turns later, he would have had his last truck with his last truckboyz on my objective, would have won on kill points, and unless my scouts moved up on turn 5-6, I would not have had his objective, as pedro + all the termies would get gunned down by tank bustas and lootas. Thus he could have gotten ~18-22 points to my 10 max, though I guess anything would have been possible if we had more time.

 

Overall, my list played pretty smooth. I won the whole thing by 1 point, beating the second place player Damien who I played in round 3. (I would have beat him by two if I would have told the judge about the bonus point versus necrons after I found out I could have gotten it) Since I only had 4 vehicles, and no heavy support, my list relied heavily on getting the right guys to the right place at the right time. I got most of my forces shredded this event, but with the objectives in sight was able to pull big wins in all but the last mission, when my dice were rolling a bit lower.

 

I also had some decent match ups (no mech guard, and I played 'softer' comp armies), and rolled average overall--though when I was already winning I seemed to start rolling hotter, like I hit+wounded with 8 of 9 pfist attacks in the last cron combat phase that phased him out, when I just needed 8 total dead crons to phase out and had 18 other pfist attacks still to swing. The libby was great, and performed on all but 2 games--the first where I forgot null zone completely after setting up and then causing instant death to shrikes whole squad just to single him out with an ID attack. The second was versus the orks, where combat was on turn 2 and other than ghaz there was no invuln saves. However, I was only able to try avenger 1 time the whole event (round 4, and I perils) and over all, the s6 power would have been MUCH better for my list--I originally had it as the s6 power, but took it out for some reason. I have issues with dreads (like the kans and defilers) and close combats versus things like MEQ/orks, and that power fixes both.

 

Other than that, its all about the fluidity to switch between shooting or assault. With good spacing, and average saves, the termies and ven dreads are great 'Water' style forces (as long as Lash of Submission isnt around anyway). Along with my dreads, and the 2 razor combat squads, and the 2 attack bikes, I have a very 'Water' list, with only 3 static elements--the 2 las cannon combat squads and the infiltrating scouts. I thank Silent Requiem for that, his tactica, though dated for 4th ed, really helped my planning.

As for the guy who took second, I have some more to say about him. If you dont want to hear me rant about the second place player, Ill put the next bit in as spoilers. Read at own risk lol.

 

 

I have to say, and while Damien may disagree, I didnt think he was a good opponent at all. First, any time your opponent opens with "I am very generous with cover saves, so I hope you will be generous too." that immediately screams :cuss. Sure he dresses it up with other nice guy stuff--he has soda, water and candy, but that statement alone, where he pretends to offer an olive branch because in return he is hoping to get favorable cover saves, is the BS of a win at all cost gamer. This is highlighted immediately, when after declaring that my scouts were going to infiltrate, and I was going first mind you so they would deploy after he finished deploying, he would not let me infiltrate after I moved a unit. He stated that "well you already moved a unit, so now they are in regular reserve." I am fine with this, after all I did move a unit (and could have moved them back but what ever) but this was RIGHT AFTER he said he was 'generous' with giving me cover saves. Again, was I in the wrong? Sure, and I was fine simply putting them in reserve too. BUT, he is now on the $%^& list for saying he is generous and then immediately being hard core. Over the course of the game, I had to be very careful about rules as well, as he seems to love wrong rules, intentional or not. Example: Earlier I shoot out of area terrain, and tell him he gets a cover save because I am shooting through 2 inches to his infantry model. Later, while his oblits are shooting from in area terrain, and I claim a cover save, he insists that you must shoot through 3 inches of area terrain. I prove him wrong, and HE MOVES HIS OBLIT. But what ever. Why I make it harder for myself, I never know. Later, when he moves his defiler into dangerous terrain to set up an assault, he rolls a 1 and immobs himself. I show him that he is Immobed for rolling a 1, and he immediately tries to take that back. This time, however, I refuse at least. As for cover, I was using a laser pointer to point to the entire model and he was still arguing that he was getting cover saves. I kept saying 'Look at the laser pointer' and he would still disagree. I see why he wins so many games, by playing the nice guy and then playing fast and loose with the rules for benefit. Whats worse, his defense for the wrong rules he uses to his advantage, is 'I have only been playing for 2 years, while you guys have been playing for longer, so I am still new to the game.' I heard this excuse several times, in my games and on the table next to me with other opponents. He also argued his paint score of 16 out of 20 to a 17 (top painted only got an 18) should be higher, but said so in a 'Tell me what I could have done better, oh if you need that did you see this part of this model? Oh that model is my first set of models, look at my new stuff instead of the first models.' But, rant off.

 

 

[the_forgefather]

Yup sounds like that guy bush-wacked ya. Those guys are the worst to play against -especially in a tournament since you have to play them.

[Eldar4VR]

DevianID: You played some great games. I had the Loganwing army. I too have had the same issues with that person at another tournament and feel your pain.

 

Grats on the win and the ticket.

[DevianID]

Your Loganwing creamed Nick right? If that was the same Loganwing, it was beautiful! Very striking yellows I remember. Also, I love how your termies were each unique... I know I would have gone a much cheesier (and much less cool) combimelta spam if I were to run Loganwing, and the points you put into all the termies, like the double powerfist guy... very nice representation! Plus, were I to be brave and run no rhinos/razors or vehicles of any kind!

 

How did you find the 5 multimelta unit? Did you ever attach logan for the relentless, or was Logan busy with the termies for preferred enemy? And how did Nyjal perform? I know versus Nick he was probably good, but what about armies with no psykers?

[Eldar4VR]

Your Loganwing creamed Nick right? If that was the same Loganwing, it was beautiful! Very striking yellows I remember. Also, I love how your termies were each unique... I know I would have gone a much cheesier (and much less cool) combimelta spam if I were to run Loganwing, and the points you put into all the termies, like the double powerfist guy... very nice representation! Plus, were I to be brave and run no rhinos/razors or vehicles of any kind!

 

How did you find the 5 multimelta unit? Did you ever attach logan for the relentless, or was Logan busy with the termies for preferred enemy? And how did Nyjal perform? I know versus Nick he was probably good, but what about armies with no psykers?

 

Yes I did beat Nick. I got 10 and he got 6. All he had left was 1 genestealer and the deathleaper. I still had 4 termies, logan, and 7 longfangs. I was able to take advantage of gaunt overkill to put some easy wounds on his big guys. He played that list well and almost made me want to play bugs again.

 

I did try to avoid the combi spam and follow the wolf fluff of almost every termi being unique. I only had 1 stormshield in the whole army. My uniqueness did help in the last round when I got nailed by 2x5 dual claw templar termis, emp champ, and GK hero charge into both units. I took a total of 37 wounds and only lost 10 termis. I got my countercharge off and popped Logans +1 attack and wiped him in response. I thought I was going to get tabled by the 16 year kid in 3 turns. When he saw me make my saves, I saw the light leave his eyes.

 

Logan started every round with the MM unit. He would occasionaly leave it, but spent most of his time with them. I used relentless alot, but also used tankhunters occasionally. Since the GW faq, I would go fearless on my opponents turn and then use the othe abilities as needed. His pefered enemy helped alot too. He did get monkey stomped by a Nurgle DP but other than that he did ok. Not great.

 

Now Njal was beyond awsome in the first two games. He did prevent Nick from casting paroxysm once and did crap in the other two games. I think I killed 1200 points with him in the first two games. In one turn against a guard player, he got his unique St8 attack off and pen sixed two russes. Later killed an platoon command squad, stormtrooper unit and chimarea. Against my second round bug player, he got off the unique power of 24" rough terrain twice. I was able to take multiple charges each turn from gene stealers and put a good share of them down before taking wounds back. He also Jaws of wolf a hive guard and tervigon in one turn. So he more than payed for himself in just those two games.

 

I was hurt with all those objective missions, by only having two troop units. I never got into my opponents deployment zone. But my large termi units did claim multiple objectives twice.

 

I am thinking of changing the list some. I was thinking of dropping one of the rocket longfang units for plasma cannons or a suped up scout squad.

 

Or go totally termi and drop all the longfangs and Njal for 10 more termis, a wolf priest, and rune priest. I would lose alof of my rockets, but not many people can deal with 30 termis.

 

Again good job with your marines.

[krewl]

As I'm building a logan wing myself I'd love to see your list.

 

Mine is aimed at 1700 points, not shure on weapon load outs yet, but I aim for:

 

Logan, Njal

10 men termie squad

2 x 5 men termie squad

With as many CML's as fit in it.

[ShinyRhino]

Sounds like a fun time. One of my local shop acquaintances played there, and took fourth with his IG list, IIRC. He had the same issues with Dameon.

[travh20]

Tell you what, reading that made me want to use null zone in my upcoming tournament instead of machine curse.

[Brother-Chaplain Gaius]

Can't stand pathetic pricks like that, yeah thanks for the candy buddy. Do you guys all play in PA and anyone in the south east?

[DevianID]

I play pretty much anywhere. Where SE were you talking?

 

ShinyRhino your talking about Matt's IG right? Ive run into him and Alex a few times, they seem like great guys. Shiny where is your club?

 

Travh yeah null zone has always worked out really well for me. Even in games where the only invuln save on the table is the enemies one HQ, it can be useful. I considered machine curse as a secondary power if I was gonna footslog the libby, so I can move and shoot, as I believe its an assault power? However, the s6 would have been great, and avenger can be good when getting out of a rhino, so for now machine curse will stay on the back burner.

[ShinyRhino]

ShinyRhino your talking about Matt's IG right? Ive run into him and Alex a few times, they seem like great guys. Shiny where is your club?

 

Yep, Matt's IG. Great guy to play with. My first-ever tournament game was against him at 'Ard Boyz Prelims the year before last. We both knew he was going to win, but he still took the tim to teach me some of the ropes and point out some advice.

 

I play out of Crossroad Games, in Standish, ME.

[Brother-Chaplain Gaius]

I play pretty much anywhere. Where SE were you talking?

I'm right outside philadelphia