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Tuesday 29 January 2013

NZ Team Championships


On February the 16th & 17th the first NZ Teams event (ETC Style if not comp) will take place in Wellington.  Put on by Pete Dunn and a supporting cast it should be a fiercely contested event.  I will be leading Team NZ Hammered (name under consultation) down from Auckland seeking Warhammer glory… with that in mind I have assembled what I believe should be a highly competitive team.   At this stage not all lists are in (and by the sounds of it some of the teams might be leaving themselves with a lot to do with possible late list penalties) I won’t give anything away about army selections or races that we are taking but will give a quick team rundown. 


Ant “Cheese Master” Kitson – Ant is a warhammer tournament veteran and past NZ Master so will be looking to perform well against some of the youth movement (and Pete) from Wellington!

John “Part-Timer” Willenbruch – John made a big impact on the NZ scene last year winning two events with his Brets and placing well at a number of others, currently ranked 6th in NZ.  He missed out on Masters attendance due to timing and is looking to bring his form into this one. 

Glenn “Best Painted” Tibbles – Glenn as the name suggests is widely regarded for the excellent quality of armies he turns out.  He is also a solid general with Beastmen, Tomb Kings and Warriors of Chaos who will provide solid experience to the team. 

Me!  James “El Capitano” Brown – I’m looking to bring my recent tournament form into a big player event having finished 1st/1st/4th at my last three smaller two dayers.  Also having to turn down a Masters invite due to being out of the country I am hoping to lead my team to glory! 



Wednesday 23 January 2013

Confessions of a Doombull

This last weekend I took a 2400 Beastmen list to #Archenemy in Auckland.  It was my first tournament with them due to borrowing the army and possibly my last for a while.  I took a solid list but by no means optimum, no L4, a unit of mino’s and no bestigor.  I ended up coming 4th and with a bit more luck and removal of one bad decision game 6 would have taken out 3rd.  A large part of that came down to the Doombull and what he gave the list.  So here are a few thoughts on how he worked and what he got up too! 

I had him kitted out – Doombull, heavy armour, charmed shield, flying carpet, talisman of preservation –
The terrain rules in this tournament were systematic line of sight with hills blocking line of sight to everything but large targets and buildings blocking line of sight to everything.  I did take advantage of that where I could but at other times he ran within 3 of the minos for the 4+ look out sir and 2+/4+ to stop him getting cannoned before he was sent barreling into things!  Depending on match up depended on his role.  At times he was mage or war machine hunter at others he would run down a flank or in others I would just throw him into ranked S3/4 troops and he would slowly eat through them gaining attacks.  He was an all-round utility piece that people generally played really poorly vs. at the weekend.        



Game 1 – Ogre Kingdoms

In this game I faced an ogre army with no Ironblasters (happy days) but also three big blocks (Ironguts, Bulls, Maneaters) and a thudertusk.  With no shooting and only 2 combat blocks the rush was on and the doombull needed to step up.  I placed him on a flank and he ended up facing off v. the maneater block with the Bsb in it.  Not ideal but I managed to get the charge with the doombull and two chariots into the unit.  Happy days until I rolled 3 for impact hits on 2D6.  Both chariots died doing nothing but over the next 4/5 rounds of combat the doombull (aided by savage beasts or wildform) killed 8 maneaters and the bsb single handed.  At one point he was up to 10 S9 attacks and just hewed through the unit.  He was reduced to 1W over that combat but going first he just racked up the kills with no armour saves for the maneaters.  He then went it to the thundertusk and killed it in a round risking the attacks first due to the aura of cold… Overall just a combat monster that did the job and allowed my gor to smash the other two units.

Game 2 – Daemons

This was probably the game where he didn't do as much for me.  I was facing a kipper with Siren Song so it was going to be touch and go.  He picked up some furies early on and then was siren songed by the kipper as due to the daemonic instability I got stuck and couldn't overrun… He failed the charge but was out of the game for a turn.  He did get the opportunity to go into 3 bloodcrushers including a herald and over a couple of rounds he deleted those. The kipper at this point was down to three wounds so he was wisely moved out of arc and he was left to rage in frustration when he was up to 10 attacks! 

Game 3 – WE’s

I was looking forward to this one with the Doombull as he had the potential to do pretty well.  He did have double treeman though so I was probably a little cautious with him when I should have just ran him straight down a flank and got him into things early.  When he finally got in due to poor dice it took me three rounds to eat through 15 WE archers which was not ideal!  He really could have swung the game further my way had been free a turn earlier.  I did however get the satisfaction of charging a treeman last turn getting wildform off and unleashing 10 S7 attacks and turning him into lumber!  He more than picked up his points and again held them so it wasn't a bad outing.


Game 4 – O&G’s

Failed an 8 inch charge with swiftstride… got stuck in a swamp and charged by 8 trolls and a block of night goblins… had manglers, fanatics and other things bounced through him and finally ended up losing his last 2 wounds to two failed wards last turn.. sad panda!  The first time I’d lost him for little gain.  Had I made the charge into the rock lobber I would have been right in the thick of things behind his lines and gone mage hunting… as it was he just got pinned. 


Game 5 – TK’s

This game was his coming out party v the TK’s – not a game I really liked given he had Arkan the Black (L5 Death) a casket and two screaming skull catapults v my L2… I just went fairly balls out with him.  Stuck him on my extreme right flank and pushed him up 20 first chance I got.  He attracted a fair bit of magic which probably cost me my bsb as I had to stop the spells on the doombull and let caress go off which killed him!  He dodged a catapult and then his turn to charge.  I got into one of the catapults and wrecked that and got the overrun into the bunker containing his Bsb, Arkan and L4 Nek. This was fantastic for me as he chewed through the champ, bsb, and L4 Nek in challenges and crumbled the unit picking me up a huge number of points while killing his magic.  Then game the time for Arkan in the TK’s magic phase, he had nothing to lose as he was dead by combat… 6 dice purple sun.. .goes off… misfires!  Right on the doombull and Arkan.. I of course roll a 6… and Arkan drags the doombull down with him into the underworld…

Still he probably picked up a 1000 points and won me the game big. 

Game 6 HE’s

Again I ran him right up a flank!  Mage hunting… this tactic really just seemed to phase people and instead of bailing the characters tried to shoot/magic the doombull.  1 bolt thrower and 2 fury of khaines later I was into his L4 and spearmen bunker.. over 4 turns (I first up killed the L4) I then just ate 30 spearmen while giving me magic dominance.  It allowed me to get double wildform off in the key combat in the centre and gave me the massive win.  Again the doombull picked up more than his points and was key winning the game.


Final Thoughts      

I have to say I loved using the doombull, the list overall was probably a little weak and given what I know now and if I had the models I would have dropped the beastlord to a stubborn, L4 death wizard and dropped the minos for a +1 leadership banner bestigor unit.  The doombull was a really problem for people and with the charmed shield/4+ ward was very survivable overall.  He killed 2 Bsb’s 3 L4 wizards and a number of other useful things over the weekend and only died twice.  Once to purplesun and the other to a combat he shouldn't have been in.           

Sunday 20 January 2013

ArchEnemy Day Two


And what a day it was!  So close but yet so far. 

Game 4 – V Jeff Kent O&G’s
What a great game versus an awesome all goblin list (plus 1 L4 savage orc) not a game I really relished as he had the world of chaff, mangles, fanatics and war machines plus double L4 to my L1’s.  Early on it was could he foot of gork me and could I keep my doombull alive!  We actually didn’t get through all the turns but I found out what an irresistible big curse of the Bad Moon does… kills 30 Gor.. horrendous.. Doombull dies last turn to 2 failed 4+ wards losing his last two wounds.. sad panda..
Well played and a small win to Jeff

Game 5 – Paul Clarke TK’s
I joked with Paul before the game I was just going to run at him – he had Arkan the Black (L5 Death) double catapult, casket v the rush… there were so many tense moments, Arkan Caressed my S6 Bsb off and left me with no Bsb for the rest of the game, I then had to pass about 4 Ld 9 stubborn tests on rerolls with my Beastlord in the major gor combat.  In the end I rolled over him as the doombull got into a catapult, overran into Arkan’s bunker and proceeded to eat the unit, the Bsb, L4 Nek and then it came down to Arkan… 6 dice purple sun.. misfire – I’ll be fine I hope up pops the 6 (standard) and Arkan drags the doombull with him into the depths.  Great game!
Big win to me



Game 6 – Phil Wu HE’s   

This game felt like destiny… I had been bagging Peter Williamson’s HE list for ages and Phil had bought it to this event.  If I lost it would have been hard times.  It started badly with Phil having an 8 dice phase to my 2 dice and I lost 5 out of 7 mino’s quick smart.  Not good!  I just needed to push up, hindered by terrain I went 4 wide and very deep with my gor and pushed into the centre – a key turning point came when I got my Doombull into his L4 bunker – a mistake by Phil not bailing him in time.  That then gave me magic dominance as well as a fair few points.  The next mistake (and Phil admitted it) was charging his spears and lord into my gor.  He first fought the combats in the wrong order – fighting the spears first then a unit of DP’s who killed a chariot and overran into the combat.  Fight it the other way round and he gets to fight twice with the DP’s in the end it didn’t matter even 4 wide I smashed enough spearmen to win combat.  This next move cost Phil the game – he had an eagle that would have blocked me reforming into horde but in a brain explosion he moved it.  I then went 10 wide and in the next combat a L1 took the lords challenge I got double wildform off and killed all the DP’s and most of the spears – Bsb pops but the lord gets away.  He rallied but I get to charge 40 ish Gor into 8 spears and Lord.  It was then my turn to make a massive mistake (the main one I made all tournament) that cost me the max 32 point win and the podium.  His Lord challenges – I have no need to accept I’m going to delete the unit and his lord anyway with the Gor but I do with my Lord – Wildformed T6 beastlord I10 sword so he doesn’t reroll I should be fine.  As it was closed lists he pops the talisman of Loec – 3 hits – 3 W’s I fail 3 wards and due to the scenario costs me 600VP’s?  I still won the game 2400VP’s ish to around 950 but it ended up costing me 3rd at least and possibly a shot at 2nd.  A big learning point not to get carried away! 

Still I came joint 4th (waiting on the decider from the T.O) with the first tournament with the beasts.  4W’s and 2 losses overall.  I will have a rundown of my Doombulls exploits at some point as he killed the world and only died twice out of 6 games while collecting 2 BsB’s 3 L4 wizards, assorted bunkers, warmachines and a stonehorn and treeman.
Well done to Tom VR taking it out! 
Placing’s
Tom VR:  1st OK
Dan Butler:  2nd Daemons
Jef Kent:  3rd O&G’s

Saturday 19 January 2013

Arch Enemy Day 1


Just a quick rundown of day 1.... first off I’m pretty good at this pundit thing!  3 of the top 5 are lists that made my top 5 strongest.  The DE list has struggled and I might have been responsible for the WE list beating it in a really tight game in the third round but still plenty of Warhammer to go.

Game 1 should have been an easy one for me, Derrick was a great opponent but the Doombull went nuts and it turns out a doom bull with savage beasts is pretty good.. big win to me

Game 2 straight up the top to play Dan’s Daemons.  Not a game I fancied but it turned out to be a really tight game of Warhammer.  Really good game versus a great player.   Dan came out with the win and also picked up the Blood and glory so I dropped down.

 
Game 3
Double tree WE’s – this game in theory I fancied – probably one of the strangest games of Warhammer I’ve played, James C was a great opponent and with the moonstone in the closed list pulling out some tricks it was touch and go.  I did manage to pick up a solid win to take me up to 5th overnight with O&G’s in the morning

Thursday 17 January 2013

My top 5 Arch Enemy Lists


The closed lists are out for Arch Enemy and I have to say there is a mixed bunch.  I’m going to break down my top 5 lists in composition and power level and how I think they will get on given the rest of the field.  So without further ado..  

1. Ogre Kingdoms Thomas van Roekel
                    
Lords
Slaughtermaster, Lore of the Great Maw                   
Heroes
Bruiser, BSB
Fire Belly, Lore of Fire
Core
9x Ironguts, Full Command
6x Ogres, Bellower, Standard Bearer              
Special
4x Mournfang Cavalry, Bellower
2x Mournfan Cavalry, Bellower
3x Man Eaters, Scout, Immune to Psychology
Sabretusk Pack
Sabretusk Pack
Sabretusk Pack          
Rare
Ironblaster
Ironblaster

What can I say?  Just a very solid Ogre list played by a really solid general.  I would expect Tom to do well.  



2. Daemons of Chaos 2398 pts Player/General: Daniel Butler            
                    
Lords
Keeper of Secrets                                                 
                    
Heroes
Herald of Tzeentch, Disc of Tz, BSB
Herald of Khorne, Juggernaught
                    
Core
29x Bloodletters of Khorne, Full Command
28x Bloodletters of Khorne, Full Command
6x Chaos Furies
6x Chaos Furies
                    
Special
1x Fiends of Slaanesh
3x Fiends of Slaanesh
                    
Rare
3x Bloodcrushers, Full Command


Nice to see a Keeper of Secrets and I think a lot of people will not know one what it does, and two how to deal with it so could be a really nice complement in what is a really solid list.  I think Dan B on his return to Daemons has to be one of the favorites for this event.  


3. Ogre Kingdoms 2395.5 pts Player/General: Paul Dalton

Lords
Slaughter Master, Lore of Death
                                         
Heroes
Bruiser, BSB
Butcher, Great Maw
                    
Core
9x Iron Guts, Full Command
13x Gnoblar, Trappers
13x Gnoblar, Trappers
13x Gnoblar, Trappers

Special
Sabretusk
Sabretusk
Sabretusk
8x Maneaters, Full Command,Stubborn, Posion
3x Maneaters, Captain, Scout, Swiftstride
                    
Rare
Ironblaster
Ironblaster

slightly different list from Paul but again a very solid looking Ogre list with double ironblaster a Death L4 and two solid ogre blocks, both likely to be stubborn which will be an issue to shift.  

4. Dark Elves 2400 pts Player/General: Brian Smith  
                    
Lords
Supreme Sorceress, Lore of Shadow
                                                                                    
Heroes
Death Hag, BSB, Cauldron of Blood
Sorceress, Lore of Fire
                    
Core
5x Dark Riders, Musician
5x Dark Riders, Musician
34x Corsairs,Full Command
5x Harpies
20x Warriors, Full Command
          
Special
38x Witch Elves,Full Command
19x Black Guard, Standard Bearer, Musician
19x Black Guard, Standard Bearer, Musician 

I don't know Brian as a player but he has brought a potentially really nasty list.  The comp allowing 7 dice mindrazor could really work for him.  The With Elves and Black Guard also would go through Letters with ease with the Cauldron so he could do very well.  There is good chaff in the list and either the corsairs or Witch Elves mindrazored is the end of times for most units.  With plenty of Elves and T3 infantry about this could be one to watch.

5. Wood Elves 2400 pts Player/General: James Cardno          
                    
Lords
Highborn
Spellweaver, Lore of Life
                    
Heroes
Noble, BSB
Noble, Great Eagle
                    
Core
15x Glade Guard, Standard, Musician
15x Glade Guard, Standard, Musician
15x Glade Guard, Standard, Musician
10x Glade Guard, Musician
8x Dryads
8x Dryads

Rare
Treeman
Treeman

The fifth place was an interesting one, there were a few lists possibly even my own that had a shot at this but I went with my tree hugging past (as top WE!) and picked James C with his WE's.  James is an up and coming general who won his first tournament he attend my WHFB 500.  Double Tree and Dwellers v a lot of S3/T3 elves could be gold played well.  If he can avoid the fireball I could see this list troubling the DE's and also the Daemon list with the shooting and thunderstomp/strangle root potential. 

Anyway what do I know let's hear your thoughts!




Tuesday 15 January 2013

Bad Dice Hobby Blog




In exciting news in Jan I have also signed up for the Bad Dice hobby Blog – to commit to painting units each month in order to paint a full 2400 point army in the year.  I am painting my vintage metal HE’s first up this month a modest start 10 HE archers and a bolt thrower.  The bolt thrower has been done as you can see a shiny pick!  



HE Baddice Hobby Blog

P.A.C.K. Battle Foam


So in prep for the upcoming tournament season I have just invested my pennies (well maybe a few pennies but I am very hopeful it’s worth it) in a Battle Foam PACK A.I.R with a custom load out on one side the battle foam pre-cut ogre trays for mournfang, artillery and the core tray on the right side 3x3inch pluck foam trays.  I will be looking to get down to Wellington more and play in a few tournaments so this really was a key purchase to allow me to get everything there in one piece.  I will do a full review once it arrives!     


(Air) P.A.C.K. Air Empty - Battle Foam

Friday 11 January 2013

UK Masters Interview Brazilian Style:


I managed to catch up with Raf Harbinson originator of @wooftime on his thoughts & predictions for UK Masters which he is attending this weekend.  Many thanks to Raf for his time, so without further ado! 

Q.  What was your path to Masters Qualification and what are your thoughts on team events qualifying as I know it has come up?
 I struggled for motivation this year following a very successful 2011, so general performance less than stellar, taking to almost every event lists that I felt were less than significantly underpowered (have not been impressed with the VC comp on the new book in the UK). Qualified via South Coast GT (10/156), Midlands Open (8/100) and the two team events: Polish Sausage (2/20 teams) and Brothers in Arms (3/16 teams).
I used VC for every event, mostly some variation on my “wooftime” list. Have used VC solidly for the last two and a bit years, so a bit jaded with them – hence switch to Lizardmen (first 6 games with lizardmen ever were at last month’s winter incursion (where I finished around 10th, before painting scores put me down to the mid 20s)).
Team events are a controversial one! J
I get all the arguments against it. However, it was announced at the beginning of the year and everyone knew it would count (think one of the reasons for the good attendance at the events). I honestly think if they had not counted I would still have qualified – I would have just gone to other events and taken more sensible lists.
Team events were the complete highlight of 2012 for me. Easily the toughest, most stressful, most fun & competitive warhammer I have had in years. Singles events in the UK get rather similar, so was a great fresh change. I think the team event points were easily the hardest qualification points I got, you also so rarely get a very good matchup. I can’t recommend team events enough.

Friday 4 January 2013

ArchEnemy Beast List

ArchEnemy Beast List

After 7 games with the beastmen to mixed success 2 W’s 2 D’s and 3 L’s I wasn’t really enjoying the list with the huge reliance on magic.  It was probably the best option but I decided to throw it all out the window and take something a little more fun to ArchEnemy.  The list I have taken is by no means optimum but it isn’t soft either so should give me some tactical flexibility the Doombull able to solo and the gor/mino block with even 1 wildform going off is a solid combat punch.  As the lists are closed I haven’t included the magic items as I want to keep them up my sleeve until the tournament (see I am gamey really).

Beastlord – shield, heavy armour, General
Doombull – shield, heavy armour,
Wargor – shield, heavy armour, BsB
Bray Shaman, L2 Beasts  
Bray Shaman, L1 Beasts  
Bray Shaman, L1 Beasts

Thursday 3 January 2013

The evolution of the beasts


Having looked at the beasts again and being into my 9th game I had made a few changes to the list.  Double L4 game in, the beastlord went out. Death/Beasts combo, I also snuck in some bestigor.  It was overall a much stronger list based around two pretty strong combat blocks backed by a pretty horrendous 12 dice (mostly) phase.  With that in mind I ended up playing the Ogres of Tom V R

I set up fairly centrally – the herdstone with the ungor bunker behind – the bestigor right central and the gor left central with the harpies in behind and the chariots flanking.  Tom mirrored me with the gutstar and the bulls and 4 mournfang out to the left of my gor.  The other two mournfang and ironblasters fitting in.  Tom’s 3 scouting Man Eaters deployed behind a hill again wide out on my left flank. 

T1 – I won the roll off and shuffled a few units, moved the chariot on the left up to threaten the maneaters – the magic phased rolled around and I had a couple of dice.. I got off a spirit leach and the flock of doom on a sabretusk and did 0 W’s a good start – I then chucked 4 dice at purplesun… double 6.. I rolled an 8 on the artillery dice and straight through the Ironguts – all 9 fell down the hole.. so a pretty epic start.  The miscast was ok I lost a few bestigor and the phase was done.

Tom almost re wracked at this stage but we played on.  Tom edged his units around, pushed two mournfang up on my right and a cat and put pressure on with his maneaters.  His characters rallied and looked to join the unit of bulls to make a “bull star”  The ironblasters did nothing this turn but he did get flame cage off on the gor which was useful. 

T2

I looked to press the advantage again.. my chariot on the right charged the cat in front of the mournfang and the second chariot went into the maneaters.  Again I shuffled the bestigor but the gor were frozen due to flame cage.  The continuing theme of my day (that conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory) was the miscast.. again 12 dice phase – 3 dice wildform on the chariot into the maneaters – miscast.. bad times.  5 dice from the pool and W’s on my wizards.  Again killing a good phase that I could have had free reign with purple sun and another two wildforms. 
The chariot on the right took out the cat and the 2 mournfang panicked, again good for me, the second chariot killed a maneater before expiring.  I was hoping it would at least hold with the wildform but it wasn’t to be. 

T3
That was probably the end of my dominance although I didn’t know it! 

I pushed the gor up to tempt the mournfang charge and a long bull star charge.  My magic phase again was marred by a miscast that cost me a L1 beast mage with my bound spell as well.  I did get curse of anrahier off for the -1 but culd have achieved much more with the phase. 
The mournfang go into the gor but the gutstar fails the charge.  I fancied this combat to be honest and it panned out that way with two mournfang dying and breaking.  This is where I made a mistake that probably ended up leading to me losing the game.  I forgot about flame cage and pursed the mournfang – I then took a S4 hit to everyone losing 20 gor. 

T4 I then had a one real option – the gor and the bestigor go into the bulls and the characters for the win.  As I had miscast most of my spells I hadn’t been able to force Tom’s scroll and that would cost me in the magic phase as I went for the win with big savage beasts which would have given me 16 S8 attacks with hatred from the characters and help delete the unit.  I didn’t get the double 6 on 6 dice (why now?!) and the scroll came out. 
The last two turns was a grind that saw my gor break and eventually run of the table and the stubborn bestigor get ground out. 

It was well played by Tom and after I went up big early I failed to really kill him off with a couple of key mental lapses.