Those grey Imperial tanks are they minimally painted? Good right up, though my failure to pin it, may cost you 3 page views. ;-)
I want to get my army back in the field. I think my Plaguemarines may do well lead by a Nurgle Lord assuming I can find the right accompaniment.
The way GW is writing the rules it is getting harder and harder to resist running a special character. The 1000 Sons super sorcerer who lets three squads infiltrate every game, even if he is 200 or so points will become very popular. Fabius Bile might also be interesting.
I'm still thinking Nurgle Biker Lord, could luck taking that out between turbo boosting saves and toughness 6. If he can't have a personal icon though, he'll get overwhelmed in H2H. He may need a squad of friends...
Photos are going around of the new Chaos Codex and I keep thinking of what I might do, but I don't have any opportunity to actually play so I have to live vicariously through the blogosphere.
Great photographs and a very enjoyable tournament report. Thanks.
September 24, 2012 at 1:15 PM
Last month I played at 40Kegger IV, the latest 40Kegger tournament. I had a great time at the previous tournament. Who can say no to gaming and beer? Certainly not this writer. There were four games to be played this time around; two true to the event's theme (Beer!), and two to be rolled up from the basic40K 6th ed. rules.
Army Showcase:
The following are several photos of a selection of the participants' forces:
Tyranids (notice the Roach Hotel in the background):
Three scoring units and six AV12 skimmer tanks. 6th edition to me is about seizing objectives and keeping those scoring units alive long enough to do so. No room in 1,000 points for lightweight vehicles like Vypers, or even Hornets!
Game One: The Relic
vs. J.P.'s Chaos Marines:
Winged Greater Daemon
2 squads of Chaos Marines riding in Rhino APCs
Unit of 2 Obliterators
Squad of Raptors
Chaos Dreadnought
Vindicator siege tank
Primary Objective: Control of the Relic, worth 3 VPs Secondary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Warlord
We rolled Vanguard Strike for deployment. I won the roll for setup, so chose to set up everything in the southeast corner, as it provided both cover and space to deploy my tanks.
Below, the two Eldar artillery tanks can be seen placed in the southeast corner to fire their barrages. One of the skimmer tanks, in the midst of the ruins, is in position to advance on the Relic in the middle of the table. The easternmost Wave Serpent contains the Fire Dragons, ready to rush north to mix it up with the Chaos reserves when they showed up.
I moved a couple of tanks forward Flat Out, to make a skimmer wall as some Avengers advanced behind them to grab the Relic.
[Image]
The Chaos Vindicator came on from reserve to the north, right beside my Fire Dragons. The Daemon Prince leaped forward to nail one of the Eldar Tanks. First Blood!
The Fire Dragons ensconced themselves into a building after destroying the Vindicator. The Warp Hunter advanced as a distraction to the Daemon. The Avengers with the Relic mounted up, and with the other tanks started to pull away to the periphery of the table.
Despite shooting most of my forces at it, the winged Prince still had a wound left, and munched the Warp Hunter. The Dread came out of cover to lay down supporting fire.
By games' end the Eldar still had the potato (the Relic), had killed the Oblits and the Dread, plus had scored VPs for Warlord and Linebreaker; the Chaos Daemon had scored First Blood.
vs. Chad's Deathwing:
Belial
Upgraded Deathwing Terminator Squad with Storm Bolters and Banner
Deathwing Terminator Squad with Lightning Claws, Thunder Hammers and a Heavy Flamer
Deathwing Terminator Squad with Lightning Claws, Thunder Hammers and a Cyclone Missile Launcher
Dreadnought with Multimelta and DCCW
Primary Objective: Keep your Warlord alive (3 VPs) Secondary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Warlord
For setup, only each player's Warlord and a single squad (either retinue or a Troops squad) could be deployed. I set up the Autarch and some Avengers in the ruins to the southwest. Chad set up Belial and the upgraded squad to the north.
Using Deathwing Assault, the Heavy Flamer Deathwing squad managed to Deep Strike first turn and killed 4 Dire Avengers; cover is no obstacle to cleansing flame! The Autarch and his unit had to make a Leadership test to see if they would rout. The Eldar could have lost the game in the first turn!
I rolled the dice and scored a "10", matching the Autarch's Ld, and thus staying in the game.
The Autarch and lone Avenger embarked into an empty Serpent and headed north. Massed fire finally killed off the Heavy Flamer squad, but the third Terminator squad Deep Struck into the southeast table quarter.
The Eldar forces withdrew west and north, to keep out of assault distance from the third Terminator squad. Some Avengers and an immobilized Serpent in the middle offered a buffer between the Imperial forces and the Autarch's ride. Meanwhile, Belial hunkered down under cover to the north. A couple more Terminators died, but no other serious damage was inflicted by either party
I have written in past articles that First Blood is a very important secondary objective since, once claimed, the other player cannot score it, too. Both sides had their Warlords alive, but Chad's First Blood put the Deathwing over the top.
Result: Deathwing Victory
Game Three: Beer Run
vs.Keith's Adeptus Arbites (Imperial Guard):
Lord Commissar
Ministorum Priest
Patrol Team (Veteran Squad) w/ Shotguns, Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, Grenade Luncher and Power Fist, riding in a Chimera APC
Patrol Team (Veteran Squad) w/ Shotguns, Meltagun, Heavy Flamer, Grenade Luncher and Power Fist
Hellhound flame tank
Valkyrie flyer
Leman Russ Demolisher tank
Primary Objective: 1 VP for each turn a unit was possession of a Beer Keg (scoring calculated at the Start of your turn) Secondary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Warlord
Six Beer Kegs were scattered randomly about the table. Setup was in opposite corners. The Eldar seized first turn, and disembarked two squads of Dire Avengers to seize a couple of kegs. They would not receive VPs for them until the start of the next Eldar turn, giving the Imperial cops a turn to do something about it. A couple of Serpents whipped forward Flat Out to get deep in the Imperial zone, threatening the Leman Russ and giving cover to the Eldar behind them.
Below, Keith contemplates his counter to the Eldar opening gambit.
The Eldar seized another keg, and shot at the Imperial squad with enough firepower to make them drop their keg. In the distance the Fire Dragons can be seen dismounted. The two Avenger squads with kegs mounted up and moved back to the southwest. A flank shot from an Eldar tank destroyed the Chimera.
The Warp Hunter was blown up by the Priest with a big chainsaw. There's an Imperial medal with his name on it stuffed away in a nameless Imperial Administrator's desk somewhere. A keg was again seized by the other Imperial squad. The Dragons were reduced to a single Aspect Warrior, whose morale bravely held.
Seizing two kegs early on was a lucky break for the Eldar, who racked up several VPs for the kegs, plus scoring First Blood and Warlord. The Imperials only managed to hold onto one keg.
vs. Dave's Necrons:
Varguard Obyron
10 Immortals
10 Immortals
10 Warriors
2 Destroyers
Annihilation Barge
Monolith
Primary Objective: 6 fixed objectives, worth (respectively) 4, 3 ,3, 2, 2, and 1 VP; Fast Attack are scoring and their destruction also give up a VP Secondary Objectives: First Blood, Linebreaker, Warlord
Dave rolled Dawn of War for deployment. I won the roll for setup, so I set up a line of tanks 12" in from the southern table edge. I knew Dave's Necrons had Gauss weapons, but reasoned that he only had a 1/6 chance to seize. To be more careful, I should have set up less than 6" on, to be out of range of all of the Necron Gauss guns (including their infantry move).
The Necrons were set up in a rough line from west to east, with the two Immortal squads anchoring each end, and the Warlord attached to the one to the east. The Warriors were in reserve.
After random placement. there were objectives worth 4, 3 and 1 VP in the northern half of the table, and 3, 2, and 2 in the southern table edge. The Eldar were suddenly at a potential 1VP disadvantage.
Below, Dave can be seen deciding to try and seize the initiative...
The Annihilation Barge was, in this game, the most important enemy threat. I moved the Fire Dragon's skimmer Flat Out to jam in the Barge to the north. With luck, the Dragons would live for a turn.
The Dragons and their transport went down to massed Necron fire.
After lots of maneuver and almost no more casualties inflicted on either side, the Necrons and Eldar each controlled the objectives in their respective table halves. Gaining First Blood was again crucial, since the Necrons scored 9VPs to the Eldar's 8VPs.
Man, I love tournaments where an attentive woman approaches you and offers to top up your beer!
With a record of 2-2-0 I was unable to repeat my tournament championship win in 40Kegger III. No worries, since I had a great time playing four fun games against four great opponents. Kudos to Greg and J.P. for putting on a fun event. Thanks also to all those individuals and organizations supporting the event. I am already looking forward to next year's tournament, and the Beer League (more anon) being played this winter...
"40Kegger IV"
2 Comments -
Those grey Imperial tanks are they minimally painted? Good right up, though my failure to pin it, may cost you 3 page views. ;-)
I want to get my army back in the field. I think my Plaguemarines may do well lead by a Nurgle Lord assuming I can find the right accompaniment.
The way GW is writing the rules it is getting harder and harder to resist running a special character. The 1000 Sons super sorcerer who lets three squads infiltrate every game, even if he is 200 or so points will become very popular. Fabius Bile might also be interesting.
I'm still thinking Nurgle Biker Lord, could luck taking that out between turbo boosting saves and toughness 6. If he can't have a personal icon though, he'll get overwhelmed in H2H. He may need a squad of friends...
Photos are going around of the new Chaos Codex and I keep thinking of what I might do, but I don't have any opportunity to actually play so I have to live vicariously through the blogosphere.
September 23, 2012 at 10:07 PM
Great photographs and a very enjoyable tournament report. Thanks.
September 24, 2012 at 1:15 PM