It's not you, it's me.

Dear Snikrot,

I need to tell you it's over.  I know I've said it before in the past, but this time I really mean it.  I just can't rely on you like I used to be able to and I've got to look elsewhere.  I know it's not all your fault, part of it is just 5th edition and the need to deal with mass vehicles.  At the same time you've left me hanging just to much lately.

I still think you're a great looking sculpt, and I'm going to miss what you add as a centerpiece to my ork force.  I'd like to think we can still be friends and I'll find a reason to bring you out of the case, but for right now you just aren't good for me.  We'll always have some good memories.  Remember that time you popped two exorcist on your outflank?  Good times for us!  Unfortunately those good times seem like distant memories now.

Be seeing you,
Captn Dees

New 2000 pt 'No Comp Not Nice' Orks

Ghaz
Big Mek KFF

9 Lootas
9 Lootas
9 Lootas

19 Shoota boyz w/ 2 BS, Nob PK/Pole
29 Slugga boyz w/ 3 Rokkits, Nob PK/Pole
18 Ard boyz, Nob PK/Pole
3 Manz, 2 Combi in BW Armor, BS, Rolla

3 Buggies w/ Rokkits

3 Kans w/ Rokkits
BW Armor, BS, Rolla

CP Game 5

Game 5:  Ed's Space Wolves

Wolf Lord, Frost Blade, Plasma Pistol, Belt of Russ

Wolf Guard Battle Leader, Jump Pack, Paired Wolf Claws, Wolf Tooth Necklace, Melta Bombs

5 Wolf Gaurd, Terminators, 1 TH/SS, 1 PF, 1 Chainfist, 1 PW/Asscannon, 1 Paired Wolf Claws

Venerable Dread, Plasma Cannon, EA

Wolf Guard Pack Leader, Combi Melta, PF

Wolf Guard Pack Leader, Combi Plasma, PW

Wolf Gaurd Pack Leader, PW

9 Grey Hunters, Melta, PW in Rhino

9 Grey Hunters, Plasma, PF in Rhino

9 Blood Claws PW

5 Skyclaws, PW, Mark of the Wulfen

LRC w/ MM

5 Long Fangs, 2 HB, 1 Plasma Cannon, 1 Lascannon in Razorback w/ TL Lascannon

So I haven't had a lot of practice against SWs and I see lots of equipment I'm not familiar with at all.  It's a good clip of marines and I know Counter Assault is going to hurt, but this is kind of the marine force I had been looking to play all weekend.

Board:  Eldar webway board.  It has lots of open terrain with bits of 4+ cover terrain and a few los blocking webways and hills.

Deployment:  Dawn of War (Standard)

Mission: Annihlation (Modified), Everything is 1 normal KP.  Your 'commander' is worth 2 KP.  If the you killed the enemy commander (with him, his squad, or seeping advance) it is 3 KP.

Ok so the board is good, the deployment works ok for me, and the mission is pretty straight forward.  Not counting the whole 'commander' bit he has 15 kp to my 14 so no huge advantage there.

I win the roll off and go first.  I set up my 20 man shootas and 30 sluggas up on the 24 inch line.  I leave a trail of boys from the 30 back so a KFF can rush up just in case they need the save, but by in large their should be saves from terrain (plus night fighting).

He decides to roll everything on turn 1.

Turn 1:  I keep all my boys in position.  I roll up the wagons, and keep the buggies and kans near the KFF.  I run one lootas up to some trees, and the other I make a long line on the far right flank.

Here's what it looks like as Ed starts rolling on the board.

Ed rolls everything on the left flank.  He pops his two Grey hunters out of the rhino with some clever movement is able to be only 10" away from me so they see/shoot/kill 10 of my shootas.  The long fangs also get out of the Razorback and I think they fail to see anything.

Turn 2: Snikrot amazes me and shows upon turn 2, so he comes on the left flank.  The shootas get a strong move through cover to get out of cover (5").  Ghaz's wagon shoots forward and he gets out.  The sluggas advance up toward the long fangs.  The buggies advance near the KFF and the Kans move around the right of the center terrain.  In shooting the Lootas on the left pop a rhino and the lootas on the right pop the razorback.  I call the waagh.  The Sluggas move up to one Grey Hunter Pack, Ghaz moves to the other, and the sluggas are onto the long fangs.  Snikrot figures what the hell and charges the jump troops with that HQ.

Ghaz and manz are Kill off the Grey Hunters and Wolf Gaurd but a fist downa manz.

Snikrots squad kills two jump troops, but the squad is killed by attacks and fearless saves leaving Snikrot by himself.

The shootas kill one or two  Grey Hunters, but are wiped and they consolidate forward.

The sluggas kill only 3 Long fangs (not many could make it to combat including no fist) and they kill a few boyz.

His turn he backs his rhino up and positions it and his LRC to protect the Snikrot/Jump Pack combat.  His Blood Claws and Wolf lord jump out and shoot at Ghaz and I think they actually manage two wound both Manz.  I think maybe he shot from the Dread too but Ghaz 2++ saved it.  His terminator move up to mix up with the sluggas.  His last Grey Hunters shoot of Melta at Ghaz's wagon but miss.

His HQ/Claws assault Ghaz, but with Ghaz's 2+ up the Frost blade only manages 1 W, and the Claws do nothing.  In retaliation Ghaz 1 shots the HQ for 3 kp, and the Manz also kill 4 Claws.  His Grey Hunters assault Ghaz's HQ and immobilize it.  His jump troops easily kill Snikrot and they hide.  The terminators assault and kill off a number of boyz, but I'm thowing too many attacks and I kill off the two Long Fangs as well as two Termies.

Turn 3:  Buggies score a lucky immobilize on his LRC.  The lootas don't have much to shoot at but I think they get one immobilize on his other rhino.  The Ard boyz deffolla the immobilized rhino to pop explode it  (killing a few nearby boys) and hop out to move toward his Grey Hunters. 

I think this is right after Ghaz and co finish of the Blood Claws and consolodate toward his vehicles.  The Ard boyz crash are in it with the Grey hunters and we both drop a few and everyone sticks around.  I think the Sluggas pop off one or two termies and lose a few more, but still easily fearless.

His turn 3 and the jump pack and HQ jump over the vehicles to take on Ghaz.  They shoot inefectively and charge with the 3 jump troops and the Wolf Gaurd.  All the PWs go after Ghaz, and they do manage to ice him out, but the manz come up cluth and kill all 3 Assault guys as well as the HQ.  His Dread assaults one BW and pops it.  The last terminator(s) die to the sluggas.  The Ard boyz and Grey Hunters trade more shots, and we're both whittling each other down but I've still got more guys and his PF isn't near my KFF mek either.

We have plenty of time but we tally up the KPs.

I've killed his Commander (3), his 2nd HQ (1), Termies (1), 2 of the Wolf Gaurd (2), Grey Hunters (1) and a rhino (1), the Blood Claws (1), the Skyclaws (1), the Long Fangs (1) and their Razorback (1) = 13 kp

He's killed Ghaz (1), Kommandos (1), the Shootas (1) and a BW (1). 4 kp.

In even a best case scenario of keeping everything alive he would have to wipe me for the 4 full KP.  As it was on my turn I had two manz to go after a immobilized rhino and/or LRC, Lottas, buggies and Kans to all shoot at a dread, sluggas that could always assault it just in case, and ard boyz still locked with his last unit.  It wasn't going to be pretty so we called it a game.

Pretty much this game was all going my way from the get go.  I got to set up first, the board worked out well for me, and I had some pretty nice rolling at key times.  Sometimes things go your way, and sometimes (as I saw the day before first hand) they don't.

I tried to make the game light and fun but it is hard when sometimes the game is turning into a route.  This is the only game that really really seemed to slant drastically one way, all other four felt close.

Anyway it was a great time, I was pleased as punch to walk out with that Sportsman award, and was middle of that pack overall.  I certainly enjoyed myself and hope I can get back up to GeG for some more tournament action!

CP Game 4

So after an evening of rest I return to GeG starbucks in hand and ready to roll.  I pretty much knew what my match up would be as it was kinda clear who was on the bottom tables at the end of the last day.

Game 4: Nick's Orks

Warboss, Evy Armor

Big Mek, Burna, KF, Evy Armor

12 Burna boyz (1 Mek upgrade)

10 Ard Boyz w/ 1 rokkit w/ Nob PK in Trukk w/ Red Paint, Grot Riggers, Rokkit, Armor, Stik Bombs

10 Boyz w/ 1 rokkit

10 Boyz w/ 1 rokkit

10 Nobz w/ Waagh Banner, 1 PK, 1 uge Choppa in BW w/ Deffrolla, Kannon, red Paint, Grot Riggas, Armor Plates, Stikk bombs

Deff Dread, 4 CC arms, Grot Riggers, Armor

5 Koptas w/ rokkits

Looted Wagon, boom gun, Red paint, grot riggers

Looted Wagon, BS, Red Paint, Grot Riggers, Armor

3 Kans w/ Grotzookas

So Nick admits that he's been out of the game for a few years and is just getting back into it.  Afterward we talk about his list a bit, and I wish I had his email to talk more about it.  I think there are lot of upgrades that can be cut right out of the gate, and some upgrades missing.  The nobs could be tooled out better, as can the warboss.  Some choices aren't maybe the 'best', but there can be arguments for burna boyz and Koptas if you really want to run them.

Board: Hey back on the city board. :p

Deployment: Pitched Battle (Standard)

Mission: Capture and Control (Standard)

Special Rules: Minefields!  After Deployment zones have been chosen and objectives placed but before forces are deployed each player may place 3 minefields represented by a 25mm base.  They may not be placed in deployment zones.  Minefields extend 3" from the marker in all directions and count as difficult and dangerous terrain.  Any unit suffering casualties from minefield must test for pinning.

I win rolloff and chose my side.  We both place objectives in opposite corners of the board.  We both place our minefields right in front of the objective.

I set up with my buggies, kans, and KFF BW to head off toward his objective.  Lootas in both corners where they have good LOS tho almost everything gets cover.  Slugga boys in the center, shootas on the objective in the far right with Ghaz wagon nearby.

Nick decides to go for broke and lines up everything to move across to my objective, just hoping for the tie.

Turn 1:  Before my move the Deffcoptas scout and make a beeline for my lootas by the right objective.  I decide to unload Loota fire onto them but am not as lucky as last game and manage one kill and 1 W, but not enough to take a LD test.  My left flank advances but has no targets.  Ghaz's wagon tast test to scale a wall and move on forward.  Shootas BS fail to wound the koptas.  My sluggas just keep their heads down.

Nik Advances his Koptas right up to the Lootas.  At this point I snapped a few pics.

Here is my left flank with not much to do but head up to the objective.  

Here are the Koptas about to mob the lootas and before Nick moves the rest of his army.

 

Most of his army advances up.  He looses one buggie to imobilized squadron death in terrain checks. His Looted wagons are fine, and one fires the Boom Gun to kill a few shootas.  His Kans are out of range and a few rokkits fail to do anything to Ghaz's wagon.  The Koptas kill 2 Lootas and charge.  They take a 1W death and kill 2 more Lootas but they actually make their LD.

Turn 2: Snikrot still likes to not show up early.  My left flank advances, the buggies being able to shoot at his Boss trukk and manage to pop it.  The lootas at the left take side shots BW and pop a weapon and shake it round.  The lootas on the right shoot on the Looted Wagon but between 1 shot only and lots of cover fails to do anything impressive.    My sluggas charge the koptas and kill them off but he strikes the Lootas leaving a whole one left.

On his turn he takes more shots at Ghaz's wagon with the buggies but is unable to do anything.  His Looted Wagon w/ Boom gun goes to fast and blast forward and can't shoot.  His BW with Nobs blast forward, leap out and charge into my boys.  His boss leaves the squad of ard boys to join another sluggas squad, but his burnas in wagon and 2nd boyz squad are all kind of hemmed in behind slowly advancing Kans.  The kans shoot the the shootas and whittle about 1/2 the squad down.  In combat the fighting is brutal with him killing probably a dozen boys, but I still kill about 4 nobs off and take a few more fearless deaths.

Turn 3: Snikrot comes in, goes to those hemmed in boys and flames one squad killing several, who he would then kill in CC.  My left flank advances getting the wagon on the objective (though Immobilized from the minefield), the Kans and buggies still being out of range of stuff.  The lootas take side shots at his wagon and pop it.  My remaining Loota is starting down a Deff Dread but only manages to shake it (armor ftw).  My BW is able to ram both buggies squadron and when you auto pen and destroy them on a 3+ I destroyed both squads.  Ghaz gets out, calls the waagh, and jumps into the ardboyz.  I get some wiffs and only kill 4 and he manages 2 Ws on the manz with Klaws, but that ties combat and we all stick.  His Nobz contine to kill more boyz, but I kill another 3 nobz, but now more fearless saves.  He's got 3 Nobs to about 5 boys on my side.

His turn he moves his burnas a bit and the burn Snikrot to the ground.  My 195 pts squad killed 70pts of boys and died.  Huge. :p

His boss and boys squad move up and the single rokkit pops a buggie.  His looted wagon shoots and scatters.  His Kans are now advancing into the minefield and I think he loses one to dangerous terrain.  His remaining two shoot at the shootas and I go to ground and make all my saves (if not most).  His Dread charges my last lootas and kills him (gasp).  The last manz and Ghaz kill another 3 ard boyz, but his PK kill the manz and a weedy ard boy does a wound to Ghaz, for yet another tie.  His nobz kill of 3 boyz, but my PK kills one nob.  I take a fearless save but put it on the nob who fails and has one wound left.

Turn 4:  I keep walking my kanz up to try to be useful.  I ram the Looted wagon and kill it, the explosion ends up killing a few of the boyz with his Warboss.  The lootas on the left pop the dread.  Ghaz manages to finish off the Ardboyz but this time he take 1 Ws from the Klaw.  He moves toward the Kanz.

His turn 4 he advances the Kans through the minefield and the die to mulitple dangerous terrain tests for being in the squadron.  The burnas blast up 12 in their wagon.  His Warboss and boyz waagh thru the crater of the looted wagon and charge Ghaz.  Due to terrain we all swing together,  Ghaz kills an impressive 5 boyz, but even with now PK/PW he takes the 1 W needed to bring him down.  Nick takes his moral victory. :)

His last non PK nob kills my last slugga and are Klaws swing at the same time.  We both kill 1, meaning he is down to just his PK nob and I am out of guys.

Turn 5:  The lootas kill his last Nob who couldn't consolidate enough to hide.  The kanz and last buggie all shoot at the burna wagon but with a cover save nothing useful happens.  My shootas unload onto the Warboss and two boyz and end up killing the two boyz.

In his turn the looted wagon slides up and unloads the burnas to join the warboss.  The Mek has a KMB and makes an amazing side shot to pop my BW.

Time is about out.  At this point he has no troops left, and even if the burnas and warboss do survive shooting to charge and beat the shootas (which they very well could have) he would only be contesting.  I still have the BW full of Ard boyz sitting on his objective.  I finally snag a win and 3 bonus points.

It was a fun game, and as I mentioned we talked about some things his list really needs.  I think he had a really fun game and I did too.  I can say I had enough of that board now, but it still wasn't as frustrating as some of those GK boards.

Here is the aftermath:

CP Game 3

Game 3: John's Orks

Mega Armored Warboss, Cybork, Bosspole

Mega Armored Big Mek, Cybork, Bosspole

5 Lootas

3 Nob Bikers, 1 Painboy, Waagh Battner, Cyborks, 1 PK, 1 Kombi Skorcha

30 Ard Boys, Nob PK/Pole

30 Sluggas, Nob PK/Pole

20 Shootas, 2 BS, Nob PK/Pole

20 Gretchin, 3 Runtherds

10 Storm boyz w/ Boss Zagstrukk

4x Deff Dreads w/ Rokkit, Skorcha, Grot Riggers (one is Troop choice)

So my first ork on ork battle.  He's loaded up on Dreads in favor of vehicles,  his HQs are less expensive and efficient, he has bodies, a small nob biker squad, and a different flavored special guy.  I've got uber Ghaz, BWs to help me pick my fights, and more long range shooting.

Board: I'm back on the desert Board!  All these beautiful boards and I get to double up on terrain.  Oh well.

Deployment: Spearhead (Standard)

Mission: Seize Ground (Modified)- The table is divided into 3 equal zones, each 24" across and 48" long.  The side zones are worth 1 additional objective point and the center is worth 2.  In order to control the zone you must have more scoring units than your opponent in that zone.  Units may only count to control one zone.  Zones may not be contested by non-scoring units.

We roll and only get 1 extra objective.  So we place one right in the center, and the other 2 in the center of each zone.

He set's up and goes first.  I think this picture is just as he starts advancing.

This is me on the other corner. 

Turn 1:  He advances everything forward, and the nob bikers move up along the top of his table edge.  He shoots but there isn't a whole lot of action.

I make some modes advancements, and focus fire on the nob bikers.  Amazingly enough I able to drop enough shot on them manage to kill one of the guys, and they fail the LD twice (bosspole) and flee the table.

Turn 2: His Zag stays in reserve.  He moves up more but keeps enough of most of his boys in cover for shooting purposes.  He does more shooting, I think shaking a kan and a wagon, maybe killing a few lootas.

My turn Snikrot stays in reserve also.  I make some more modest advancement and keep shooting.  My failing is pretty dismal also, managing some shaken and weapon destroyed on a few dreads.  Not impressive.

Turn 3: Zag is still in reserve hanging out with Snikrot somewhere.  More advancement, more shooting.  I think this turn he manages to loota down one of the kans and rokkit one of my buggies.  One deff dread is able to assault a wagon and destroy it, making Ghaz and the manz get out.

My turn and Snikrot get's tired of waiting and comes on the board.  He comes on his rear table edge to deal with his 2x30 boys squads that have lingering lads in cover.  He flamers about 7, and then charges in cover killing another 10.  In return the boyz that can fight back kill 6 boys.  He takes 11 fearless saves on both squads and both squads end up about 1/2 there original strength (sluggas being a bit worse of than the shootas).

My second wagon rams the Dread that killed my other BW but manage to destroy 3 weapons and immobilize it.

Ghaz  is able to move up a bit and call the waagh to move into the Ard boyz and warboss.  The warboss is too far away to get to combat,  I kill still only manage to kill about 8 ard boyz, but his PK kill 2 manz.  He takes some fearless saves but makes most.

Turn 4:  Zag comes in and lands a bit off but close enough to one of my loota squads, who they end up charging and killing.  His lootas shoot down another kan.  His dreads continue to advance, the green one is able to assault my other BW and destroy it, the explosion kills a few ard boyz.  In combat his big squads take a few more wounds from Snik before destroying him utterly.  He kills my last manz, the warboss still not in CC with Ghaz so Ghaz kills a few more ard boyz.

On my turn the 30 man sluggas turn the attention to Zag and kill him off.  My shootas realize they should be shooting at gretchin but only manage to kill 1.  My lootas down one dread.  The 'Ard boyz don't have lots of choices so they assault his near dead Dread and the other 'healthy' one.  They lose a few boys but actually manage to PK the green Dread dead.  Ghaz manages to pop the Warboss finally, but dies to Pks in return.

Turn 5:  His boys do some shuffling in the back.  I think his lootas again shake my kan.  His 'Ard boyz waagh into the shootas and do some serious damage but hey hold.  His deff dread manages a few kills on my ard boyz and I fail to kill it.

My lootas only shake his last moving deff dread and the Kan fail to his and ends up out of charge range.  My shootas die to his 'ard boyz and they move toward our other Dread/Ardboyz combat.  There the 'Ard boyz finally manage to klaw down the dread.

Turn 6: He advnaces both boys squads to be in the 'middle' zone.  His sluggas may or may not be close enought to the center objective, but his gretchin hold the left zone and objective easily.  His dread is able to charge my boys and kill a few while they fail to kill it.  His 'Ard boyz charge my ard boyz, but due to cover I swing first.  I do a bit more damage to him but we all stick around.

I charge my Kan into his dread and they kill each other gloriously.  I move my last buggie up to the center objective to contest it.  I shoot my lootas at his depleted Shoota squad but he has 2 guys left and they make their LD save.  My 'Ard boyz end up killing his ard boyz and consolidating, but not enough to move to the second objective.

We're out of time but the game ends anyway.

Walkers are Wrecks

 

He's got the far left objective and zone, plus he has his shootas and sluggas in the middle zone while I only have my 'Ard boyz.  I've got the right most zone and objective.  The center objective is contested.  John wins 3-2.

This was a real fun game and we both joked how people complain playing orks is slow when we got through 6 full turns in two hours.  :)  I don't really know what I could have done better.  Killing the nobs early was great, and I got to pick and chose most of my assaults.  Some lackluster shooting in the end was a little disappointing but that cut both ways.  Snikrot was moderately useful in tying up those squads, but maybe he should have really focused on killing just one of them.  I guess that's the only thing I can really see that I could have probably done that might have swung something, but just as easily might not have at all.

Sill a fun game and a fun day despite y losses.  I'm on the very bottom of the pile, and it is a little bit of a bummer because I felt all 3 games were very close, but 3 Losses is still 3 Losses.

CP Game 2

Game 2: Josh's Chaos Alpha Legion

Prince, Wings, MoS, Warptime

Prince, Wings, MoS, Warptime

8 Beserkers including Champ w/ Fist

6 Noise Marines w/ 4 Sonic Blasters, 1 Blast Master, Champ with Sonic Blaster and Fist; Rhino Havoc Launcher

7 Plague Marines w/ 2 Plasmaguns, Champ w/ Fist; Rhino

7 Plague Marines w/ 2 Plasmaguns, Champ w/ Fist; Rhino

3 Bikers, Icon of Glory, 2 Meltas

2 Oblits

2 Oblits

Land Raider w/ Armor (for Zerkers)

It's a great looking army and a nicely balanced list imho.  Chaos is always a challenge for orks because they aren't shabby at CC so despite me having numbers I'm not sure how it will go.

The Board: So the board is a city ruin that gives lots of cover everywhere.  More importantly there are recessed trench/streets that are barely the width of a Land Raider.  To get 'up' to each section where the terrain is requires a difficult terrain check unless you are near a ramp, of which there is generally only 1.  So I'm a little concerned about being able to navigate the board but at least I'll get some cover.

Setup: Pitched Battle (Standard)

Mission: Annihilation (Modified); Each HQ is worth 1 KP for every 50 pts or fraction thereof.  Elite, Fast, and Heavy is 1 KP for every 100.  Each Troops is 1 KP for every 200.  Dedicated Transports are not counted individually but are part of the squad and must be killed to gain ANY kill points.

So I read the mission and I look at his list and shout to the skies 'DOH' as this just got 10 times harder.  In a normal KP game he would have 13 kp and I would have 14 kp making it a nice tight game.

Instead he has 25 and I have 26, but more importantly I have to kill his blasted rhinos to get a good clip of his troops.

I win the roll off and decide to go first.  I put lootas in cover in each corner to get lines of firing that are unavoidable.  The shootas and sluggas take the center.  Ghaz is in the far left trench, and the KFF BW, Buggies, and Kans are in the far right trench.

He puts a rhino of PM in front of the LR of zerkers, has his other two rhinos on the other side.  Both flanks are supported by a prince and two oblits.  His bikes are on the right flank.

Turn 1:  Everything moves up as far as it can.  I shoot at the rhino in front of the LR and pop it spilling out PMs.  On the right I shoot at the DP and land two wounds.

His LR is now a bit stuck behind the rhino.  He advances up everything he can.  In the shooting he manages to pop Ghaz's wagon so he pops out front.  He kills off 2 Lootas with various firing but can't get that 3rd to make a LD check.

Turn 2: Snikrot stays out this turn.  Ghaz gets a good S&P roll and moves up.  The sluggas make haste toward the oblits.  The BW of 'Ard boys goes to tank shock the bikers.  This was probably a mistake on my part.  He death or glories the BW dead, and in the explosion manages to kill off 6 Ard boyz which is just poor luck on my part.  Despite getting 2d6 hits on the bikes I only manage to kill one biker.  The various rokkits stun up some rhinos, and I think the lootas bring both princes down to one wound but can't manage to kill them.

I call the Waagh.  Gaz slams into the PMs and kills them, but they manage to kill off one or two manz.  The Sluggas get to the oblits and kill them off with the PK.  The Ard boyz get whacking and assault the DP, the Oblits, and the bikers.  The PK kills off the Oblits, I kill one biker, but still can't kill the prince.  In return he kills off half the Ard boyz and I take enough fearless put stick in combat.

His turn and he advances his prince to be able to charge my sluggas.  Most of the other side is in combat or the rhinos are stunned.  He shoots with his LR at Ghaz and Ghaz makes his save but the last Manz goes down.  In combat the prince kills a few boys before getting dragged down with attacks.  The 'Ard boyz are pretty much finished off by the prince and fearless saves.

Turn 3: Snikrot stays out AGAIN.  Ghaz moves up toward the LR of zerkers.  In the end I should have hid him.  Going after a possible 4 points with my 5 pt HQ was not really worth it.  My buggies swing around for shots on his two squads of rhinos and continue the stun/shake fest.  The lootas go for the bikes and manage to only kill one.  The kans shoot the DP thinking he only has 1 W left but alas he makes his saves.  I did a poor job of shooting and target selection this turn and it cost me dearly.

Ghaz charges the LR and manages to pop it and the Zerkers pop out.  My sluggas have to assault a rhino and again can't kill it.  The kans assault the Prince (another poor choice) and they all die horribly (damn squadron rules).

His turn the Zerkers charge Ghaz and do two wounds while Ghaz kills off 3.  His noise marines and plague marines  get out to shoot the boyz and whittle them down, the noise marines charge and kill more boys and take wounds.  The biker shoots then charges the lootas and are tied up in combat.

Turn 4:  Snikrot FAILS to arrive.  Ghaz kills 2 more zerkers before dying.  The buggies shoot at rhinos doing nothing.  The boyz kill off the noise marines.

He advances up the Zerkers,  The PMs finish off the boyz squad, and their rhino goes to tank shock and immobilize one buggie.  The biker sees the lootas off.

Turn 5: My last lootas and Shootas open up on the zerkers and bring them down to 2.  One buggie shoots at the rhino that rammed to immobilize it, and the biker makes a cover save from the other.  Snikrot  has by default arrived goes to chase after the noise marine rhino but can't get in range to do anything.

His Zerkers now move to hide out of LOS behind a trench.  The PM move up and take a weapon off of the buggie that isn't immobilized.  The biker goes and hides as does the noise marine rhino.

Time is winding down, we roll for a turn 6 and it would occur, but we decide to tally it up to see where it stands.

He's killed Ghaz (5 points), KFF Mek (2), 1 Loota squad (2), Sluggas (2), Manz and Wagon (2), Ard Boyz (2), BW (2), and Kans (2) for a total of 19.

I've killed both princes (8), one PM squad and rhino (2), both oblit squads (4), and the LR (3) for a total of 17.

Unforutantely for me I couldn't kill his Noise Marine rhino and because of the mission that meant denying me 2 pts for the tie.

Even with turn 6 I would not be able to catch him.  The zerkers were out of LoS.  The Noise Marine rhinos was too far away from Snikrot and out of LOS of the Lootas.  One buggie was no weapon, and the one with a weapon was immobilized with the surviving PM rhino in front of it.  Killing it gains me nothing since the PM are still alive.   Furthermore he could easily have killed both buggies for 2 more kp.

It was indeed a close game, but I made some really poor choices in reflection.  Snikrot has once again a total failure.  The mission didn't help me with this particular army to play against.  Still is was a fun game and nice to play a tough battle.

Here's what the table looked like in the end.

CP Game 1

So day 1 of the tournament and we get our mission packs.  I look through them all and they look pretty good.  A few things I would like to have seen different but certainly after Kubla a big step up I'd say.

Game 1: Bryan's Nids

Hive Tyrant w/ Adrenal Glands, 2x TL Devourers w/ BL Worms, Old Adversary, Armored Shell, Regen, Paroxysm, Leech Essence

-3 Tyrant Guard w/ Lash Whips

Tyranid Prime w/ Pair Boneswords, Regen, Deathspitter

2 Hive Gaurd

2 Hive Gaurd

3x Zoanthropes

10 Termagants

10 Termagants

7 Genestealers w/ Toxin Sacks

Tervigon w/ Stinger Salvo, Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacks, Catalyst, Onslaught

Tervigon w/ Stinger Salveo, Adrenal Glands, Toxin Sacks, Catalyst

Trygon

Trygon

So he's got the uber deatherstar HQ selection which I figure I'll either send ghaz after or ignore (I chose the wrong one).  He's got a lot of troops and can generate even more.  He's got big bugs.  I already know I'm looking up a hill, then there's the mission.

The Board:  It's a pretty open Desert board with a few hills, some ruins/area terrain, a few low hills and a dry riverbed.  There is not much LOS blockers.

Setup: Dawn of War (standard)

Mission: Seize Ground (Modified), one objective is placed in the center and is worth 3 points, the other four are placed by the players and are worth 1.

He wins roll off and go first.  Bryan puts up a 10 man gant squad having cover saves from terrain.  I decide to put my boys on the board with a good amount of cover.  

Turn 1 He moves everything up and does some run rolls.  Some shooting kills a min amount of boys.

I roll up my Mek, rokkits and kans up the middle, and send Ghaz around the far right.  Lootas come on and run slowly.  My furthers front squad I try to pull into cover thinking I will be out of assault range.  the shoot boys throw down some shots on the gants and kill a few.

Turn 2 He brings his units up a bit further, but most importantly his Tervs spit out more troops, and I learn they can be placed 6" away from the mama bug.  This means his new troops are actually in charge range and I had sloppily left a few guys around the rear of cover thinking I was well out of range.  

 Pre-movement as he generates more gants

Well with a 6" move and a 6" assault they were able to move in and get stuck in with the boys.  He kills lots, I kill some and they are stuck in combat.  In addition to all this something manages to shoot the wagon and destroy it (can't remember now what it was).

Snik fails to arrive for the first of many times over the weekend.  My left flank advances on foot as does Ghaz's wagon. Lootas unload on the far right Tervigon but he lives.  Some rokkits put a few wounds on the second.  Ghaz hops out of the wagon and calls the waagh.  He fleets into the uber death HQ unit and one manz is touching the Tervigon.  The 'Ard boyz cruise into the Zoes and his original gant squad.  They mow through that combat, but Ghazs squad is obliterated by the HQs and Ghaz works on killing off a few of the Gaurd.  Sadly the Tervigon doesn't get killed and now is free to move off and spawn more bugs. :(

Turn 3 and it all goes ugly.  More bugs spawned but one Tervi taps out with doubles.  My second BW is popped as does one buggy.  The Trygons fleet into my ard boyz and destroy them.  Small bugs that charge my shoot boys.  Ghaz kills of the rest of the hive gaurd but both HQ are still left in combat with him.

My turn and Snikrot again fails to come on the table.  One rokkit buggie moves to contest one objective as time is running out already.  The lootas still fail to kill the tervigon they are working on with his 1 W.  I manage to keep one boy and nob fighting with bugs on one objective with a lucky LD save.   Ghaz gets mowed down by the two HQs.

There is about 10-15 minutes left and he is more or less has one objective with both gants and a Tervi on it.   Looking at what would happen in turn 4 it would move quick and there is no way it gets better for me.  Had Snikrot come in I could have charged the small bugs and got stuck in on that objective, and that extra time taken would have brought us to 'too short to play a full turn' probably, but alas it was not to be this game.  I take the loss and he gets all the bonus points as well, so 20-5 against me.

Bryan was a really cool guys and we ended up talking quite a bit over the two days.  I think we kinda had a chatty game and were just happy to get out and play so I don't think we were fully into 'ok 2 hours lets get cracking' mode quite yet.  It was a fun game and though more time would have probably only led to a total wipe it felt like it was a game that was in my reach but for a few details.

I misplayed putting my guys so far forward.  I really should have played back more and taken advantage of the Lootas range.  I could/should have been able to kill off the Tervigons, and hopefully could then choose some better charges on weaker small bugs.  Snikrot not coming in at all was a disappointment, and as I mentioned it would not be the last time wonder where he had was (perhaps the corner bar having a beer).

Still a fun game and I figured loosing game 1 was not really a bad thing and hoped I could turn things around the rest of the days games.

Capitol Punishment 2010

So I went up to Sac this weekend for two days of 40k at Great Escape Games.  It was my first time up to the store and it really is a nice gaming store.  The front of the store is clean and well organized, and the back warehouse is huge.  I think they had about 20 gaming tables up but there is easily room for another 20.

The tables were everything I hoped they would be.  About 1/2 the tables were flocked boards with random terrain, but everything was themed.  The other 1/2 of the boards had some amount of terrain features worked in to them (trenches, rivers, etc) with more themed terrain.  So there were some excellent opportunities to be on some heavier or lighter terrain boards.

Unfortunately there were only 12 of us for the event.  In talking to the organizers we had 3 strikes going against us. 1) Father's day 2) Cost (prereg was $40, $50 after that) 3) competition with their normal monthly tournament, Conquest of Champions.  Their CoC events rotate between Fantasy and 40k but pull 60ish people and it seems most people would rather make that their 'one game this month' then jumping on to the Capitol Punishment.

Still we had a cool group of 12 guys.  The army breakdown was: 3 orks (including myself), 2 SWs, 1 BA, 1 Marine, 1 Chaos, 1 IG, 1 Eldar, 1 DE, and 1 Nid.  Definitely and interesting mix and with this few players it seemed like everyone was going to get at least one ork game. :)

Only the bug player had a 'freshly modeled no paint' army.  I took pictures of all the other armies but one ork player, but I have some pics of a game against him I'll post later.  All of the armies were nicely done, but some really stood out with their conversions, paint, and incredible display boards.

This Sanguinary Gaurd BA army is all modeled to look like Iron Man.  He took the players choice award.

 

This ork army had a 'Cult of Godzilla' theme going.  It ran 4 Deff Dreads that were modeled to look like t-rex/zilla creations, plus lots of conversions to make them look 'lizardy'.  The Display table itself was amazing and built to kind of look like a drive in movie theater.  Yes that is a working LCS player that was playing the original Godzilla movie for the boys!

This Eldar army was just exquisite. The display board itself had just an incredible feel to it with the holographic portal and cool water/metal material of the base.  The army itself had extensive freehand and even the etchwork done to the hulls of the Fire Prisms.

I had seen docs female IG army at Kubla and it is still impressive.

 

This Dark Eldar was also at Kubla and is really cool looking as well.

 

Here is all slogging SW army packed with a ton of Missiles!  He would go on to be undefeated and take home the best Overall.

Another SW player with a really unique look that was very detailed.

 

This was the vanilla marine player.  I didn't get a good chance to really see the army as I was now rushing to get through pictures, nor did I play him, but it looked complete and cohesive. 

This Alpha Legion army was also gorgeous, but it was painted by the TO and there was a -5 pt to paint if it wasn't painted by you which I think is pretty fair.  Still the blending and highlights were really incredible as well as nice freehand work.  There is really a lot here that I see that I want my Thousands Sons to be like when they are done.  A very clean and impressive army.

I need to wrap up this post and get going so I'll try to do some mini reports on my games later.

Overall my games went like this.
Game 1: Bugs- Loss
Game 2: Chaos- Loss
Game 3: Orks- Loss
Game 4: Orks- Win
Game 5: SWs- Win

So day one I took a beating but the games were fun and closer than the L can ever describe.  Still with my paint and sportsman I ended in the middle at 7th overall.  However I did get a perfect 50 on my Sportsman and 3 of my opponents gave me Favorite Opponent of the weekend so that gave me Best Sportsman award!  I was shocked!

That meant a $75 gift card which I promptly spent with $.58 of my own coin. :)

 

It was really a great event that ran so smooth I really have no complaints.  I'll work on some reports in the next few days and talk about what's next for orks.

Display Board and Lootas Complete

So this weekend I finished up the display board.  You can see it is a three level board with different textures.  Here is a few shots of it empty.

And here are a few shots with it loaded with the 2k ork waagh.  

As you can see I've finished up the 5 needed Lootas as well.

I've had 4 practice games now so I'm in the swing of the army I suppose.  Against IG I had a lucky steal turn 1 move which helped turn that into a route.  I played a game with Eldar that we called a draw at the end of 4, with the slim chance of going either way I suppose.  (You can see an actual report of that game here) I played against two different Chaos lists and pulled one draw on single objective mission (shock) and a decent win on multiple objectives.  So the army is doing pretty well and it is looking pretty good.  Hopefully I wont be totally disappointed by the painting scores on this next tournament.

Ghaz is ready to lead the Waagh to Victory (at least that is the plan)!

 

Orks Preparations for 2k

So orks are preparing for 2k for Sacramento.  They've always done well for me with he latest dex and give my opponents a tough time.  Hopefully they will provide 2 days of fun

The list I'll be using is a slightly tweaked pull back from 'Ard boyz.

Ghaz

Big Mek KFF

9 Lootas

9 Lootas

8 Kommandos w/ 2 Burnas + Snikrot

19 Shoota boyz w/ 2 BS + Nob PK/BP

29 Slugga boyz + Nob PK/BP

18 Ard Boyz + Nob PK/BP

3 MANz w/ 2 Combi in BW w/ Deffrolla, Armor, BS, Grot Riggers

Buggie w/ Rokkits

Buggie w/ Rokkits

3x Kans w/ Rokkits

BW w/ Deffrolla, Armor, BS

Low KP, good scoring untis, and some tough nuts to crack.  The two lootas squads provide two shooting options (over the squad of 13 I have always used) but are easier to break.  The buggies are soft but they are just annoying enough to opponents and can often make up their pts.  I've cut the Kans back to Rokkits and hope I don't find the lack of AP2 lacking, as in the past it really has done very little (the occasional insta killed Oblit).  Snikrot is the only squad I'm not really sold on but I can't see cutting him out at this point and painting something else in time (ie more lootas).

As of Kubla I had this to prepare:

2nd BW

Both Deffrollas

3 Rokkits for Kans

5 Lootas

New Display Board

I've been busy crossing these off the list.

 

I've also been working on my Display board but it is about 1/2 way done and I'll get picks when that's wrapped up hopefully this weekend.

That just leaves 5 Lootas to try to get knocked out next week which I think sounds very doable at this point.

Kublacon Golden Gargnet Summary

I know it has been over a week since Kublacon and I've been quiet on the blog.  I haven't been JUST licking my wounds (though I have been doing that too), I've been reflecting on the event and actually been busy with more 40k.  I'll post on that tomorrow.

But today I'll address my Kublacon Golden Gargnet showing, which I have already mentioned was disappointing.  There are a few reasons for this, and I'll try to keep it short but they are as follows.

1) Last year I had no expectations as it was my first 'out of the pond' Competition.  I was excited, didn't know what to expect, and in the end did well overall.  This year I had high hopes (despite reminding myself often not to) and of course nothing panned out like I was hoping.

2) The missions were not great.  I don't envy tournament organizers and I know these guys put a lot of work in to holding a tournament of this size.  I'm not going to through my hands in the air and claim that the world is burning down because of missions.  But at the same time I wasn't the only one who said 'mission fail' so I know I'm not alone.  There were 2 variant KP missions (because everyone loves those!) and a 6 (that's right 6) objective based mission.  To make matters worse you could only Win/Lose/Tie in those, and with things like the 6 (that's right 6) objective you needed to have 2 objectives MORE than your opponent.  Really.  Of the 5 friends that went 4 of us tied that mission (and the Win went to bugs over necrons).  /gasp

3) I was really hoping to see a good paint score for my Templar, but alas they were not as highly pointed as I would have thought.  They scored 30 out of 46 possible, which put them about 22 out of 56.  I don't feel like it was 22nd best painted army.  I'm not saying its at the top, but there were plenty of 35-40pt scoring armies i thought it was on par with at the event.  Maybe they think painting white and black is easy which is kind of what I was wondering.   Not like I can ask for a second opinion, but I do wonder how they came up with the paint scores.

4) I pulled 3 Meq armies, all of them plenty of CC oriented.  Just what I didn't want to see.  It is just dumb luck but it still made the day one uphill battle.

5) Horrible reserve and scatter rolls.  Game 1 and 2 had literally the worst reserve rolls I could have asked.  Along the same line of 24 Deepstrikes only 1 'hit' and everything else scattered, most often over 6".  Of my 6 speeder deepstrikes (game 2 I started them on the board) one managed to land on another unit and be destroyed.  All I can think is this must be Karma for all the awesome these guys have been every other tournament.

So with that here's the basic breakdown of my 3 games.

Game 1: Peter's Pedro Marines

Pedro

Terminator Librarian, Null Zone, Smite

5 Assault Terminators, 4 TH/SS, 1 Sgt Pair of Claws

5 Shooty Terminators, 1 Chainfist, Cyclone Missile

5 Sterngaurd in Las/Plas Razorback, 2 Combi Melta, 1 Combi Plas, 1 Claw

10 Tac Marines, Flamer, Missile, Fist w/ Las/Plas Razorback

10 Tac Marines, Melta, Multi Melta, Fist w/ Las/Plas Razorback

Vindicator

Pred Linked Las and HB sponsoons

Whirlwind

Mission: Modified Kp where Troops, Transports, Fast, Heavy, and Elites are worth 1.  Your 'Army Commander' is worth 3 and all other HQs are 2.

Deploytment: Pitched Battle, Night fighting turn 1

Funny enough Peter and I played game 1 last year as well so we had a laugh there.  He had a possible 16 kp to my 22 kp so already I'm shaking my hands at the gods.  Peter keeps his guys bunched together in the center so that Pedro is most effective, and that his termies can threaten any place I pod too closely.  Of course I get all of my HQ pods in where I would have liked them to come in later and nothing else.  Everything scatters.  The game goes on with me trying to pick things out and him counter charging with Termies with Pedro giving bonus attacks.  I have issues wiping his sterngaurd (1 survives) and popping tanks.  I come in one unit at a time the next 3 turns with 3 units auto-arriving turn 5.  At the bottom of 6 before I go we count up the points.  I have 7 to his 14 (thanks 3 HQ choices coming in right away).  At best we see I can pick up 3 (assuming it all goes well) but I need to be within 3 to manage a tie, so a solid loss.  A tough game for me, but Peter had a tough game with me last year so I figure hey it happens.  "Hopefully the next 2 games with be more forgiving" I remember hoping.

Here's some shots of turn 3 unfolding.

Game 2: Chaos Marines
I've already forgotten my oppenent's name and have managed to lose the list.  Here's what it looked like from memory.
Sorcerer, MoS, Lash
Daemon Prince, Wings, Warptime
5 Terminators, various Combis, Reaper Autocannon
10 Zerkers in rhino
10 CSMs in rhino
10 Lesser Daemons
5 Bikes with mark of Nurgle
3 Oblits
1 Defiler

Mission: 6 Objectives

Deployment: Dawn of War, additionally Dusk (night fighting) Turn 5 and 6

So I'm looking at the fact I have a Troop advantage and hoping this game will be better.  He wins the roll off and makes me go first.  I figure with DoW I'll just move my speeders on and they'll get saves plus night fighting.  He actually then puts everything in reserve.  Not a bad move at all, so I just hope most of my pods stay out.

Nope, of course not.

5 of 6 pods come down.  I decide to play aggressive hoping that most of his units also stay out and he can't bring enough in to cripple me.

Nope, of course not.

He make 8 of 9 reserve rolls.  The only upside for me is his lesser Daemons were destroyed due to no icon on the table.  But regardless it was a fight and it was bloody.  There is some fun combat with the Marshal standing toe to toe with his DP who had raped a Dread, and some lash/oblit fun on the other side of the table.  On turn 6 I conga lined my last troop squad to take two objectives where he had nothing on the table, and rushed over two speeders on to the two objectives his one troop was holding.  Alas he had plenty of bolter fire to bring the speeders down, but even if he had only killed one you needed 2 objectives MORE than the other person for the win.  Two objectives each for the tie.

Here's the shots from the end of the game, for some reason the second pic refuses to update the correct angle.  /shrug

 

Game 3: Chris's Blood Angels

Reclusiarch, Jump Pack, PF

6 Sterngaurd in Drop Pod, 3 Combi Melta, PF

10 Assault Squad with jump packs, 2 flamers, PF Sgt

10 Assault Squad with jump packs, 2 plasma pistols, a Plasma pistol/PW Sgt

10 Assault Squad (no packs) in Rhino with Hunter Killer Missile, 2 Plasma Guns, a Plasma Pistol/PW Sgt

Land Speeder Assault Cannon, HB

Land Speeder Assault Cannon, HB

2 Attack Bikes with Multi Melta

Tri Las Pred

Vindicator

Mission:  More kill points!  This time everything is worth 1 but transports under 100 pts are 0.  In addition there are two objectives and each are worth 3 objectives.

Deployment: Spearhead, but everything is 'Committed.'  This means no units may be held in reserve unless they are scouting, infiltrations or deepstriking.

So he has 10 kp to my 12 kp so I'm hoping for something, but it was another game of chunders for me.  Everything scattered wildly, I had a hard time connecting with tanks.  He was of course always able to get the charge and overall was better in CC.  My marshal popped his Reclusiarch before going down in a hail of attacks (and I think fearless wounds).  My Chaplain was also the man soloing thru 3 or 4 rounds of combat with one of his assault squads.  However in the end I had once again given up two many kps by the time my top of 6 came (I think 4 to 8) and we both contested objectives, plus he would have a whole bottom 1/2 to go.  So a second loss of the day.

Here's his end of two, with once again a pic that wont 'right' itself.

So two losses and a draw with a few battle points picked up during the games put me at 25 battle points.  My opponents gave me a full 15/15 for comp but the judge only gave me 10/15 (and I wish they gave out some kind of sheet to let us know why).  So those total make your 'Best General' score which put me near bottom at 50/90.  I already mentioned my somewhat disappointing 30/46 paint score.  On the upside there was a 7 way tie for sportsman, of which I was one.  They gave the prize to the best battle points/favorite opponent which is fair.  So there I got 32/30 which is horribly confusing.

All of my opponents were nice and I DID really have fun games.  So I have nothing against them or in anyway saying that the day wasn't a fun day of gaming.

So yes 112/166 was not as high as I would have liked but really I can get over that.  The real disappointment came from the bullet points I mentioned at the start of this post.

I also think this is the definitive 'Templar Pod become ineffective past 1500 pts' for me.  The last GK tourny and this one were both 1850 and I found similar problems.  So I think podding will be capped at that for tournaments.

This of course means I have 2k coming up and am now going with orks, which is what I have been working on this past week and gotten some practice games, but I'll post on that later.