Defending the Title - SA Nationals 2013

[Ushtarador]

bloody taudar must be terrible to play against :/ I start getting the feeling that playing a fair match against Tau absolutely requires los-blocking terrain, as they ignore cover way too easily.

[knife&fork]

I've built my current list largely to deal with the most common Tau and Eldar builds.... Cover ignoring weapons and focus on CC, aggressive deployment with drop pods, space wolves allies to deny pathfinders and other scouts while having a shot at sniping MCs and key models with JotWW.  

 

Only problem is that you end up struggling versus so many other kinds of 'weaker' lists. I have no idea how I will be able to handle common things like shooty guard, pure eldar, chaos or raven wing...

 

There's a tourney coming up in about a month and while I don't have high hopes for my overall placement it will be an interesting experience.

 

EDIT: But then again that's always the case. There's always a way to beat the current power-build whatever it might be, doesn't matter if it's Nob bikers, Seer council or leafblower gunlines.

 

It's just a question of what you have to give up in the process.  

[TheHarrower]

Mort,

 

I definitely like the Black Knights better. They give you a hard hitting and mobile unit that can influence the game wherever they end up. The turrets certainly aren't bad and help you deal with certain builds you are going to face, but given the choice, I'd take maneuverability and flexibility almost every time. I think in the list you have being able to dictate where and when you fight is more important. The turrets make the list more static and take out a flexible strong unit IMO. Just my 2 cents. Best of luck. Looking forward to the Battle Reports.

 

EDIT: Lol. Didn't realize I was so late to the party. :(

[Morticon]

Heya guys.   Turned out that the top 2 would duke it out and both go into game 6 undefeated.  Means there would have been a clear winner anyway.  Sadly for me I also lost my 6th game against a GREAT cron list.  Was an exceptional game- most enjoyable and tactically challenging of the whole tournament.  I made one mistake that cost me the game- so upset with myself. 

 

But, it happens.  Probs coulda rocked in at 3rd- instead wound up at 7th.

 

The cron opponent came 3rd, Eldar/Tau (not Tau/Dar) came 2nd and first was......

 

Daemons.  Yup.  Pure daemons. Sick, sick, sick list too.  No screamers or flamers either ;) 

 

Batreps soon.

[knife&fork]

Daemons. Yup. Pure daemons. Sick, sick, sick list too. No screamers or flamers either

Daemons, now that's a surprise! Lot's of FMCs and fast beasts?

[Ushtarador]

now you got my attention! ^^

[ianj253]

Not at all suprised by Daemons winning it.  5 FMC is almost impossible to beat.  If you look at US tournament results they are definitely a meta topper at the moment. 

[R0N1N]

Heya guys. Turned out that the top 2 would duke it out and both go into game 6 undefeated. Means there would have been a clear winner anyway. Sadly for me I also lost my 6th game against a GREAT cron list. Was an exceptional game- most enjoyable and tactically challenging of the whole tournament. I made one mistake that cost me the game- so upset with myself.

 

But, it happens. Probs coulda rocked in at 3rd- instead wound up at 7th.

 

The cron opponent came 3rd, Eldar/Tau (not Tau/Dar) came 2nd and first was......

 

Daemons. Yup. Pure daemons. Sick, sick, sick list too. No screamers or flamers either ;)

Batreps soon.

Was an amazing tourney Mort. Those Daemons deserved to win though. Our game was just as fun though, finally got to play each other.

 

Not at all suprised by Daemons winning it. 5 FMC is almost impossible to beat. If you look at US tournament results they are definitely a meta topper at the moment.

actually only one Daemon prince in that list. The guy ran 45 known hounds and two soul grinders with torrent flamers. He CC'd his way to 6-0 in the tourney.

[Morticon]

It was a crazy hard list ya, and he's a top player. A bit unfortunate that he was paired with weaker players all the way through the tourney until the last game (thanks to how his details were entered into the tournament software round one) but 6wins is 6wins!

And great finally playing you, John! Even if it was your stinking crons

[Baba Lem]

Looking forward to the reports, baba.

[Captain Idaho]

Commiserations on not ruling the roost again Mort, but I'm sure everyone is looking at you at the event and remarking on how you're a good player.

 

Looking forward to the Battle Reports, particularly the Tau/Eldar filth. I think we're going to have to discuss how best to bring ruin to these armies in the future.

[Morticon]

Game 1 : Dawn of War - Purge the Alien vs. ORKS

 

Game 1 is traditionally a seeding round and top players are paired with lower players to make sure from round 2 everyone is facing a worthy opponent.

 

I got paired with a relatively new player. Orky - nothing spectacular list wise:

 

Warboss - bike

Warboss - megaarmour

5 biker nobs + painboy + claws n stuff

5x Kommandos - snikkrot, 2burnas

7x Lootas

10x Lootas

25 Orks -klaw

25 Orks- klaw

10 gretchin

10 gretchin

2x Lobbas

2x Lobbas

Looted Wagon

5x Storm boz- klaw.

Aegis, Quad.

 

 

TURN 1.

 

I was going second, which wasnt a bad thing at all it would allow the orks to get closer

I was using the cover of the central ruin and nightfight to make sure i didnt take too many casualties.

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5320_zps9fffffa8.jpg

 

The orky setup wasnt too good though - he split up all across the board allowing me to focus on one area.

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5321_zpsde5cc180.jpg

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5322_zpsbacb21fc.jpg

 

 

I wont go into too much detail for this game, but the orks drew closer on the bikes, i took some hits, but conserved most stuff -mephy jumped out to greet the oncoming bikers, and in my first turn charged them. I wiped the squad - as per Meph. Warlord and nob biker squad.

His shooting took out a razor and continued to thin out the knights and the attack bikers, but for the most part he hung back, relying on lobbas and lootas - not ideal for him i think. In his 2nd turn, his snikky ame on with the warboss -he targetted my bikers again, but he arrived from reserve by my whole army - all the squads just turned around and vaped him.

Then my ravens came out.

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5323_zps2e2941d9.jpg

 

From that point, mephy marched on up, failed wings, but then walked up to the Lobbas - vaped a squad. He then trundled over to the lootas, and took them out, only to be countered by a orky mob, which by end game he wiped out too.

 

So - quick tally for Mephy alone:

 

25 Orky Boy squad, 7 lootas, 2 lobbas, a warboss and a squad of nob bikers.

 

Anyway, back to the game!

 

I brought the rest of the stuff up while my models continued shooting at him.

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5325_zps34689563.jpg

 

By the end of the game, he only had a whittled down orky boy squad left.

 

I lost 3 units I think - the Knights, a Raven and a squad of scouts that I forgot in reserve <_<

[Morticon]

Next up...a more detailed BatRep against a CRAZY list - one that I was dreading to face :( 

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5327_zps89e2e031.jpg

 

Sammael

Libby - Bike, PS, Auspex, PFG, Lvl2

5x Knights - grenade, champ, banner of dev, apoth

5x Knights - grenade, ravenwing banner , apoth

6x Bikers

6x Bikers

6x Bikers

1x Atk Bk - MM

1x Atk Bk - MM

1x Atk Bk - MM

Whirlwind

5x Devs - 3x Plasmacannons

[Captain Idaho]

Good read.

 

Yeah I don't like the sound of that 2nd list you faced.

[Ushtarador]

The only thing worse than the list is that "paintjob" :P

[knife&fork]

Is it possible for a frag cannon to drool? Because look at that juicy blob.... :p

[Memento Of Prospero]

That ravenwing list is a perfect example of how bad the meta is right now. Without heldrakes/cronnair on the other side, that list just rolls most players.

[knife&fork]

Ravenwing spam has the numbers to wether a turn or two of heldrakes. There are other armies that they fear a lot more. 

 

The list above is in fact less spammy than many of the RW lists you seen in Europe and the states.

[Morticon]

Game 2 - Hammer & Anvil, The Scouring vs. Dark Angels.

 

 

Opponents list:

 

Sammael

Libby - Bike, PS, Auspex, PFG, Lvl2

5x Knights - grenade, champ, banner of dev, apoth

5x Knights - grenade, ravenwing banner , apoth

6x Bikers

6x Bikers

6x Bikers

1x Atk Bk - MM

1x Atk Bk - MM

1x Atk Bk - MM

Whirlwind

5x Devs - 3x Plasmacannons

 

 

As noted above, i was dreading this match up.  I had played Steve once before nats and he tabled me.  I needed first turn, or it was going to be a complete nightmare, I also needed board choice as one side was terrible - the board seemed set up for Dawn of War type games, not hammer anvil.

 

Sadly, I lost both table edge, and first turn. 

 

If there was any chance I could win this it would be in deployment of objectives.  The DA need to keep tightly packed so everything benefits from everything else.  As a result, I spaced every objective as far away from one another as possible - i would try split him up to make sure i could grab the objectives.  The red dots indicate whereabout the objectives are.

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Regionals2-%202013/objectives_zpsec2d660b.jpg

 

bottom left was 1 point <_< 

top left was 4 points <_<

middle left was 2.

middle right was 2

middle-middle was 3

top right was 3

 

Mephy rolled - legendary fighter! (yes!)

DA libby rolled....err...misfortune i think, and Forwarning (?) the 4++ power. 

 

My deployment was of HUGE importance.  Basically, because of nightfight I needed to get back and see how much fire i could weather.  

Unfortunately, even with a little bit of cover on the side, after measuring how far the RW can move and still shoot, i realised it was useless. Instead of hiding, i would have to give up first blood, and put myself in a position to take the damage, and retaliate.

I went like this:

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5328_zpsf774c138.jpg

 

With the other bikers on the right flank. 
The DA knights I outflanked, with the scouts.  The DA tacs I put into reserve walking on, and the BA ASMs I put into the ravens.  

 

his first turn was crazy- as you saw.  

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5329_zps7e2f9025.jpg

 

I lost the weapon on the left razor, blew up the right razor, and lost a biker on the flank.  

 

In my first turn, I cast the DA power on Mephy, giving him a 4++.  I then moved the bikers out to engage with as many targets as I could.  

Mephy charged a regular troop squad, while the DA libby and biker squad moved to engage another troop squad.

 

My attack bikers on the left flank stuff out and fail a really short charge :( 

Mephy and the DA Lib however do some considerable damage to 2 troop squads.  They hit and run, and both units consolidate back into cover.

 

Turn 2. -  Fall of Mephiston

 

Allow me to explain why I love Meph. 

In his turn, his entire army moved in a position to try and take shots at mephy, and other units.  

With the 4++ (and a little lucky rolling on my part) mephiston tanked the ENTIRE armies shooting.  

Thats right, the ENTIRE army.  I didnt take any additional hits that turn - he had to charge in to finish him off too.  

So, while Mephy fell, and was dealt with -he took the shooting of the entire 1750 points to take him down.  

I likey.

 

In my turn two I got on 1 bird, the knights, scouts and the Tacs. 

I used the DA auspex to reduce the cover save of the Shroud, who had in the second turn shot at mephy - it was now only on a 4+. I took it down.  I then vaped a troop squad with the knights.

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5330_zps1f6ef1b4.jpg 

 

The BA were fighting back hard.

 

Sadly, things got MAD intense from this point, so I lost track on pics. 

 

But, what happened was a bit of cat and mouse back and forth.  It was very intense-  his bikers tried to take out whatever was around on my side, while my ravens focussed heavily on the Black Knights remaining. I lost my knights quickly, and the DA libby + attack bike squad fell quite quickly after.

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5331_zps082eace4.jpg

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5332_zpsd0af0846.jpg

I got a lucky break when a unit took a wound (DT i think) and died, then broke end movement phase. I then shot it up and killed it.  

 

I also think he lost focus, after he declared a charge in around the 5th turn - he had positioned Sammael to charge the scouts, and the libby and knights to charge an existing ASM squad.  After he declared the libby squad charging, he wanted to start the combat.  I asked him if he was going to charge anything else that turn, and he said no.  After the fight, (which a lowly sarge managed to win vs his libby!!!) he realised he hadnt charged Sammy.  Too late to go back now! 

The scouts were free to move up and take the objective by his side, if they could clear out the contesting units.  

They did.  The ravens moved into position, dropping off another ASM squad onto the middle right objective, the tacs on the bottom left. 

 

The game ended - and I had units on 3 objectives, warlord and line breaker!

He had line breaker, first blood and no more scoring troops :) 

 

Solid victory for the BA- pulled out of a hat!

[Morticon]

Game 3 - Relic - Vanguard Strike - Vs. Tau/Eldar

List:

Commander - all the bling. (eg: batman belt [puretide chip], iridium armour and whatever else).

Uber-Autarch - fusion gun, banshee mask, bike, shard, mantle.

2x Riptides - Ion, fusion, Skyfire, Intercept

2x10 Kroot

2x5 Avengers

2x Serpents -Scatter Las - holo.

3x Broadsides - missiles, sms, intercept

2x Skyrays

This was the list i was most worried about all tournament and in the lead up to it. Its also the main reason I took the Knights.

I knew I would have to go first, or really struggle against him.

Again, not only did i not go first, I also didnt get the board selection. i got stuck in a crappy cover area.

My opponent was happy:

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5338_zpsd0a236cb.jpg

For those of you who dont know, the Autarch in challenges has fleshbane, rending and instant death. Also, with the banshee mask, it means he's striking first in combat. He's a mephy killer.

I was facing this:

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5336_zps980e0462.jpg

With him going first, and the fact he has 7 units that can put out mad dakka, I had only one option -with his skyfire/intercept, it meant that I needed to overwhelm his intercept from turn two, and take it on the chin for 2 turns.

I put in the las/plas razor into reserve, with the scouts (outflanking), the knights outflanking, the MM bikers coming on from board edge and then the ravens. Seems like a smart move

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5337_zps4b209f67.jpg

In turn 1, the enemy got off some cheap shots near meph, and his failure to pass 4+ cover (used up all my 4+'s in the game vs the bikers )

meant he took two really cheap/sneaky wounds. I lost 1 vehicle and some bikers.

In my turn 1 i had very little to shoot with, and mephy was far away from the autarch- about 10/11" - i wasnt going to risk a charge on him or the riptides.

In turn 2, mephy took another wound or two, and i lost the libby and the other razors. It wasnt looking good.

But now for the epic counter!! MWuahahhahahah!

Of the 6 units I had in reserve, 2 came out

A raven and some MM bikers

It just went downhill from there really. From that point, everything was being shot down as it came on.

My whole army came in piecemeal, and by end turn 3 it was more, more than in the bag for him.

Mephy had failed a charge and got shot up in return for his efforts - sadly his worst performance of the tourney.

The game ended turn 5 with me having 4 scouts left - 1 in his deployment area.

I had done a total of 2 hull points of damage on serpents (1 on each).

That was it. The only other wounds he took were from his novacharging.

It really was sad and possibly the most lopsided game of 40k ive ever been on the receiving end of.

Epic fail for the BA.

edit: to add insult to injury, he had totally forgotten about 2 squads of kroot he left in reserve. So, in the tourney rules, if you forget units in reserve, you lose them - didnt even matter or make a diff. <_<

[Jolemai]

Wasn't the list I was expecting to be honest.

[Morticon]

Wasn't the list I was expecting to be honest.

 

 

That stupid puretide chip, giving everything rerolls is nuts.  Also, tank hunter on all those rerolling intercepting missiles O_o. Its a joke. 

Skyrays got additional skyfire if needed, but the marker lights make sure the riptide AP2 gets through where needed.

And if you charge, all the riptides get to attack you- even if they intercepted that turn <_< so lame.

[gory_v]

Ouch, bro. Can't stand the fact that sometimes it doesn't matter who is better tactically, dakka can just win games by rollin dice. From my experience and what I've heard about crackin the serpents scatter laser and twin-linked arsenal that follows is to do your best to stay out of range and try to go after their side and rear armor. The tau/dar is very much a copy/paste net list with a few exceptions (skyrays) so don't feel too bad about it. Not saying the kid didn't put any thought into his list but he def probably wasn't throwing up theory lists and polling 3 months ahead. Way to stick to the BA. I'm about 75% sure that I'm ditching my cheap DA allies and taking advantage of the double force org at FoB so put our best units available on display. We'll see how many games I'm able to get in beforehand.

[Morticon]

Ya, I cant fault Kyle hey.  He's a solid, solid player and always plays power lists (he played the farsight bomb last tourney). Just wasnt my day :P

We have a rematch scheduled - he said he felt the win was empty on account of how lame certain things were in that game.  

Would be interesting.

 

Anyway! 

Up next- this monstrosity ->

 

http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb447/Brindleysa/Nationals%202013/IMG_5319_zpsf8ed4bc9.jpg

[Captain Idaho]

Good reports Mort. I was happy to see how you beat that Ravenwing list. I might be giving my Chapter Master an Auspex this edition since it's clearly so useful!

 

What else. Oh yeah, that was nasty that Tau/Eldar list. I dread facing them in the next Tournament I'll attend. I just know I'll end up against them!