NZTC Wrap Up - Glory and Lament

NZTC Wrap Up - Glory and Lament

NZ Hammered (A.K.A Team D.I.L.F)

What a weekend!  Again thanks to the TO’s, Pete (I guess!) and all our opponents over the weekend.  Most of you rolled over as planned, thanks Von Trapps.. but several of you put up stiff competition to prevent the run to final glory!

My team! 

I won’t break down everyone’s lists as I’ve already posted them here.  We gelled really as a team over the weekend and it was a key in the result.

Ant Kitson – Ant took a double treb list Bret list that was set to pick up big wins.  Based on our match up spreadsheet we managed to manoeuvred Ant into some favourable match up’s.  He didn’t disappoint and didn’t drop a game over the tournament.  A great tactician and a funny team mate.

John Willenbruch – John was taking a skink cloud into this one with a party Light Slann.  It was is solid list but JW would be first to admit he felt short of games coming in.  He stood up massively over the weekend and showed what a quality player he is never leaking many points when chucked under the bus and picking up massive wins for us in round 4 and 6 to keep us in the podium hunt.

Glenn Tibbles – Glenn was taking the last ride of the old WOC book with Gateway FTW.. Glenn was a great team member and took whatever I gave him in the match up process without complaint.  Legend, who pulled out a massive 19-1 last round to cap at 60 points and secure the podium

Me – I took an Ogre list that was again hopefully set up for the big wins.  I actually only got 2 games with it before NZTC and I would make changes in hindsight.  One highlight for me was how well heavens works with the ogres – overall  think it gives them more than Maw and I got scrolls turn 1 5/6 six games 4 dice comet anyone..  

   

Round 1 Capital Crusaders

First out of the hat were our friends from across the ditch the Capital Crusaders.  These guys were a bit of an unknown quantity but I think suffered a massive hit when their highest ranked player and Dark Elf player couldn’t make it.  Stu from Welly I believe stepped up at short notice.

The match up’s went really well for us and we were happy with the results

Ant v Stu with Beastmen

JW v Julian with his Empire

Glenn v Tony with his TK’s

Me v the flying Bret list of Ben Haliday

No one in my team wanted to play the flying circus so I stepped up in what I thought could be a tricky game.  I think the comp environment across the ditch didn’t help the Aussies and we got up across the board in this round maxing out at 60 points.  Ant took the Beastmen off 20-0 I shot off the Bret Peg lord turn 1 and then spent the next 6 turns trying not to get dwellers off the board and picking up the rest of his army for an 18-2.  I lost my Bsb turn 1 to dwellers and it gave me a few nervous moments!  JW and Glenn both picked up solid wins! The bus was rolling!   

Stuffed Kangaroo

 

Round 2 The Von Trapps

Clash of the Titans early!  I had dished out the smack talk pretty well on twitter so now was time to back it up... To be honest I was pretty confident we had the edge on the VT’s with our lists and I looked to play on them underestimating us (I’m not sure if they did or not!).  The match up’s really went our way –

Ant v Joe Dixon with WOC

JW v Pete’s Ogres

Glenn v Tom Dunn DOC

Me v the Dark Elves of Jack

I think first off as Pete admitted Joe had Ant down as a big win to him, that wasn’t going to happen and we had it as a big win for Ant as his busses out charge Joe’s knights and have massive res.  That allowed me to get Jack’s Dark Elves which I wanted and JW and Glenn to try and limit Pete and Tom picking up points.  It couldn’t have gone better for us really, Glenn holding Tom to an awesome 9-11 and John doing taking his Captain’s orders and stopping Pete picking up big points.  Ant then showed Joe that he is the “gouda master” by setting him up a treat for the 18-2 win.  Jack had I think been thrown under the bus but held me really well early with good play and some luck.. his L4 poking my firebelly to death in the eye springs to mind.. However my mournfang broke his peg rider after he charged and that allowed me to get the short charge into the Black Guard on my terms.  Harmonic Convergence and ice shard later 20 dead in 1 round – rinse and repeat and the next turn 30 spears in a round.  It went South quick for Jack after that and I picked up the 18-2.  Great guy and took it really well. 

Victory!! 50 point win and smack talk backed up We were flying at this point and had picked up 110-120 possible tournament points

To be continued...  

NZTC 3rd Place!

This is just a quick update; the weekend was so epic I am going to do a full break down/report of the event as soon as I get the time.  I first off want to say thanks to the organisers, the event was well run and went to plan.  Thanks to Pete for setting it up and Locky/Ryan as TO’s.  We had six tough but extremely fun rounds so thanks to all of our opponents over the weekend.  It did get intense at times but team warhammer is by far the most enjoyable form of the game I have played, not wanting to let your team down adds a whole new dimension!  My team were legends over the weekend, Ant who didn't drop a game I think, John W and Glenn who sometimes got thrown under the bus but came up with massive wins at key times John W getting a 17-3 and Glenn a 19-1 last round springs to mind.  So as the title suggests… we came 3^rd!!! Given such a tough field I am pumped at the result.  We had a shot at glory as did the other top 4 teams so I am happy.

1^st The Von Trapp’s

2^nd The Nerdymen

3^rd Team NZ Hammered (AKA The D.I.L.F’s)

 

More to follow.  

Mental Toughness… NZTC

So a lot of talk and preparation has gone into NZTC for this weekend.  Lists have been designed, match up’s planned but what it really comes down to is mental toughness… We can moan about dice, about how I failed all my ward saves but it is going to be the team who plays the most mistake free, good warhammer over 6 rounds who will come out on top.    

“Concentration and mental toughness are the margins of victory.”

I’m glad there is no performance enhancing drugs testing in “professional warhammer” as Team NZ Hammered have been on a strict performance training regime… 

Inspired by the great Tony D’Amato this is the inspirational speech I gave to my team pre NZTC

“You find out life's this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game - life or football - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the f*cking difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying! I'll tell you this, in any fight it's the guy whose willing to die whose gonna win that inch. And I know, if I'm gonna have any life anymore it's because I'm still willing to fight and die for that inch, because that's what living is, the six inches in front of your face. Now I can't make you do it. You've got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think ya going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. Your gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it your gonna do the same for him. That's a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys, that's all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?” 

“The art of sledging”

“the practice whereby some players seek to gain an advantage by insulting or verbally intimidating the opposing player. The purpose is to try to weaken the opponent's concentration, thereby causing him to make mistakes or under perform.”

There has been a fair bit of banter flying back and forth on twitter and over blog’o’sphere to try and gain the mental edge so I thought I’d share a couple of gems from the cricketing world…

This one is often attributed to the Master Shane Warne himself - Glenn McGrath and Eddo Brandes going head to head. After the Zimbabwe batsman played and missed, McGrath enquired: "Oi, Brandes, why are you so fat?" This cutting reply riled the lanky quick: "Cos every time I sleep with your wife she gives me a biscuit."

Little-known England batsman James Ormond makes this list. Upon his arrival at the crease during a Test match in 2001, Ormond copped grief from Mark Waugh. "f#ck me, look who it is. Mate, what are you doing out here? There's no way you're good enough to play for England." Quick as you like, Ormond said: "Maybe not, but at least I'm the best player in my family."

I’m the sure the Von Trapps can relate to this second one….   

NZTC Top 3 Teams... and the bunny pick

1:  The Von Trapp Family

With a mix of youth and experience, NZ’s current No1 ranked player and the current NZ Master and with their families telepathic link the Von Trapp’s have to go into this event as favourites.  Tom is bring a very strong triple letter list with a high chaff count, Pete is using a solid Ogre list, Jack is leading an underrated DE list and last but not least an interesting WOC list from Joe.  With so much expectation could they be the wargaming version of the NZ Warriors?  All the flair and talent but can’t deliver under pressure?  We will see!

2: Grumpy Old Men

With an average team age of 214 there is a fair amount of collective Warhammer wisdom in this group.  Can they bring it all together?  With a Pappa Nurgle list, Dark Elves and Lizards they have three solid lists that can pick up wins, added into that is a dwarf gun line to take out difficult matches for the team. 

3: Nerdymen

The Nerdymen are the up and coming team bringing good form and ETC experience into this event.  Captained by Tom VR I expect this team to be well drilled and to reign in some of their more reckless instincts... With Daemons, Ogres, a Vampire bus and a very good HE list in the right match up’s this team has the tools.  While Rory’s mental toughness has been questioned I expect him to head into this focused..Creatures of the night... Time will tell! 

In a field where double letters are fairly fluffy... triple letters being the norm it was tough to pick a bunny team as the field is extremely tough.  However I’m not going to sit on the fence and I think with their combo of Wood Elves... Vampires, Ogres and Daemons Team Cut the Mustard might not quite cut the mustard so to speak.  

In the end I am expecting to lead Team NZ Hammered to glory...