Well, more planning went into the list and more test runs than usual and it ended up being a total disaster. Here's the run down.
Game one against Necrons with Chaos Marines. Demon Prince, 3 Tesla gun cron fliers and a chaos fire chicken. I have Flakk missiles and tons of twin linked las cannons, piece of cake right? I spent 5 turns shooting and only knocked off a single hull point from the 4 fliers. This game was a little all over the place. It started with Vanguard deployment with a ton of line of site terrain mid table. He pretty much stayed in his corner, got good lines of site and shot at me at his max range with his whole army for the game. Rather than redeploy my ranged units and suffer through snap shots, I kept shooting at the fliers. In retrospect I should have ignored them and gone after everything else. Lesson learned. Also, had a bad roll with the Blackknights failing a hit and run check. It's going to happen, but would have been better to not happen against a Demon Prince, who happened to already make 5 out of 5 invulnerable saves.
Game 2 was against Troy and his drop pods all over the place. I played the first couple rounds well staying castled up, weathering each landing and shooting back. As soon as I tried to spread out fo objectives things went poorly. The pods ended up coming in a couple each turn through turn 4, which actually worked out really well for him. As soon as I started to move towards objectives with the troops I had left, he would drop a couple pods in front of each one. I should not have over extended so soon and recognized as pods were still in reserve that I should have pushed later or dedicated more units towards each objective.
Game 3 was just about learning how the new eldar work for me. My opponent was not on his game and frequently asked to go back to do psycic powers after finishing the movement or shooting phase. I let him, since we were at the bottom of the barrel, but the game would have been quite different had I not. I got very lazy and he was kind enough to remind me of a few things as well, so it worked out pretty well. I think the problem was I would fall asleep during the time it takes for all 300000 psykers in the list to cast their powers each turn! protection and fortune is just stupid sauce that I'll need to start accommodating for, going to need a bit more AP.
As poorly as I played I had a great time as usual. I came back ready to scrap the list completely and start from scratch...but after cooling down I decided to adjust instead. I did finally get the hang of the Azrael blob and used it effectively in all 3 games. The Black Knights were great in game one immobilizing a maulerfied and if they had hit and run, would have wasted a demon prince as well. I need to be a little less aggressive with them and should start to get the hang of how they operate.
Terminators were another interesting point throughout. They survived better in all 3 games, but still never really did what I wanted them to do, which is to either absorb enough fire power to let something else live, or smash something apart. I think better use of them will be as an objective holding deterrent. Keep them on or near an objective that an opponent would need to over commit to. Either they need to bring so much firepower to bear to kill them that everything else of mine can survive, or they let me have the objective. Kill points I need to completely re-think, because these guys just give up the point without taking anyone with them.
Devastator Squads were too utility like. Flakk missiles, lascannons and plasmacannons was too much everything, and not enough useful. I cut one out the flakk squad and change the other plasma to las. Still don't know how I am going to deal with fliers, but going to try the ignore and absorb approach.
Next tourney is small points either 1250 or 1500. We'll see how that goes!
Wednesday, July 31, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Dark Angels/Imperial Guard 1850 Tournament
I'm working on my 1850 DA/IG list for a tourney at the end of the month. Had a couple of games already, both losses, but this is fine since I've confirmed some issues I thought might come up with the list and made some more adjustments.
Here's what we are looking at right now...
I tried running Ravenwing Command Squad instead of the knights, but the Ravenwing Banner and Apothecary ended up as wasted points: upgrades that slow down losing are better spend elsewhere. The Knights do all the same for the most part and have a 6th rider for the same emount of points.
I'm running 5 Deathwing instead of 6+. I had been running into trouble with 5, keeping them alive and useful, so I kept adding more. Instead I should have been focusing on how I was using them. Anything that can kill 5 with ease, can kill 6 or 7 just as easily. Instead I should be making better use of them. Rather than meeting other elite units head on and losing, these guys should be walking over a couple of troops units, or just sitting on an objective daring anyone to come at them, they are scoring after all!
The Plasma bike squad was always just shy of doing what they needed to and unlike with the terminators I felt like 2 more bodies would make a difference. 5 vs. 7 is very different than 3 vs. 5, especially when they are not fearless.
For the Company and Platoon Command I stopped getting fancy and just gave them each a Lascannon. No more Plasma and Chimeras or trying to work in Creed to scout the blob forward. This area was sucking up too many points that weren't doing enough. I know the Lascannons won't do much easier, but am ok with that considering the cost.
The Infantry Squad I bumped up to 4 units instead of 3 and went with the Lascannons instead of the Autocannons. AP4 doesn't do a whole lot for me right now and I feel like this is more effective anti-air. Giving these guys a re-roll order to hit against flyers, plus the other ranged weaponry should do the trick, without having to blow points on flakk or quadgun.
The devastator squads are the biggest divergence from the other list versions I have been running. I'm usually running one of these squads, sometimes with another that has Flakk Missiles, and sometimes with Plasmacannons. The risk I m taking with this is to run them without the Librarian. Not sure if I am making the right move with this or no and feel like this is where I need the most advice. 65 points gets me a divination librarian. Guarunteed to get re-roll to hit and could also get ignore cover, full BS overwatch, or make opponent re-roll sucessful saves.
I ended up opting for another lascannon squad instead of the librarian, streamlining much like I did with the bikes and the command squads. Is this the right call or should I add the librarian back in...with mastery level 2...with a force field generator?
Here's what we are looking at right now...
HQ
Azrael
Company Command Squad (4) Lascannon
Troops
Deathwing Squad (5) Thunder Hammer x3, Plasmacannon
Ravenwing Bikes (5) Plasmagun x2
Ravenwing Bikes (3) Meltagun x2
Platoon Command Squad (4) Lascannon
Infantry platoon Squad x4 (40) Poweraxe, Meltabomb, Flamer, Lascannon
Fast Attack
Black Kinghts (6) grenade launcher
Heavy Support
Devastator Squad (5) Lascannon x3
Devastator Squad (5) Lascannon x3
Devastator Squad (5) Lascannon x3
I'm running 5 Deathwing instead of 6+. I had been running into trouble with 5, keeping them alive and useful, so I kept adding more. Instead I should have been focusing on how I was using them. Anything that can kill 5 with ease, can kill 6 or 7 just as easily. Instead I should be making better use of them. Rather than meeting other elite units head on and losing, these guys should be walking over a couple of troops units, or just sitting on an objective daring anyone to come at them, they are scoring after all!
The Plasma bike squad was always just shy of doing what they needed to and unlike with the terminators I felt like 2 more bodies would make a difference. 5 vs. 7 is very different than 3 vs. 5, especially when they are not fearless.
For the Company and Platoon Command I stopped getting fancy and just gave them each a Lascannon. No more Plasma and Chimeras or trying to work in Creed to scout the blob forward. This area was sucking up too many points that weren't doing enough. I know the Lascannons won't do much easier, but am ok with that considering the cost.
The Infantry Squad I bumped up to 4 units instead of 3 and went with the Lascannons instead of the Autocannons. AP4 doesn't do a whole lot for me right now and I feel like this is more effective anti-air. Giving these guys a re-roll order to hit against flyers, plus the other ranged weaponry should do the trick, without having to blow points on flakk or quadgun.
The devastator squads are the biggest divergence from the other list versions I have been running. I'm usually running one of these squads, sometimes with another that has Flakk Missiles, and sometimes with Plasmacannons. The risk I m taking with this is to run them without the Librarian. Not sure if I am making the right move with this or no and feel like this is where I need the most advice. 65 points gets me a divination librarian. Guarunteed to get re-roll to hit and could also get ignore cover, full BS overwatch, or make opponent re-roll sucessful saves.
I ended up opting for another lascannon squad instead of the librarian, streamlining much like I did with the bikes and the command squads. Is this the right call or should I add the librarian back in...with mastery level 2...with a force field generator?
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Commission: Cleric of Good Part III
Here's the final product for the Cleric of Good that I delivered last Tuesday. Sorry for the delay, but I spent the rest of last week on Cape Cod with the folks, wife and kids. Great weather and a very relaxing break!
Only a little more was done from the last update: mostly cleaning up the fine highlights on the skin and on the hammer. I also made sure to get the eyes and all of the gems adorning the outfit and book. Another 30 minutes worth of work
It took another 5 minutes to get this guy sealed. Interesting side note...I used a matte varnish for this guy and a satin varrnish on Gundam John's devel fish at the same time. The satin one was apparently a little older and left a terrible filmy coating on the model, which would not wipe off...pretty much ruined it. I stopped by the store to watch Frosty and Gundam John play a game and was telling them about how the satin finish messed up the model...then from across the store says, use a q-tip and some olive oil to take that off. John and I both turn, "Thank you mysterious stranger!" This worked like a charm! Should have taken before and after pics in retrospect. I can't explain how much time and effort this saved me.
Any way... I was thrilled with how it came out and thankfully so was the client. I'm always nervous to see how it goes. So far my commissions have been face to face transactions through word of mouth, which is fantastic, but I get anxious waiting for the clients' reactions when they see what they are paying for, even when I'm happy with how it looks.
I was really happy with how the primary colors worked out overall. The blue was an after thought since I thought it was looking too drab. The red doesn't scream good guy to me, but since that was the customers request I wanted to tone that down by adding in the blue and the white. This was a nice escape from the grim dark future, but with an 1850 tournament around the corner, I'm excited to get that army in gear as well. I'm using much of what I brought to the doubles tournament, so those bikes are set to go. The devastators are also complete. I just need to get the guard squared away and get started on a librarian on a bike, wielding the Mace of Redemption.
Only a little more was done from the last update: mostly cleaning up the fine highlights on the skin and on the hammer. I also made sure to get the eyes and all of the gems adorning the outfit and book. Another 30 minutes worth of work
It took another 5 minutes to get this guy sealed. Interesting side note...I used a matte varnish for this guy and a satin varrnish on Gundam John's devel fish at the same time. The satin one was apparently a little older and left a terrible filmy coating on the model, which would not wipe off...pretty much ruined it. I stopped by the store to watch Frosty and Gundam John play a game and was telling them about how the satin finish messed up the model...then from across the store says, use a q-tip and some olive oil to take that off. John and I both turn, "Thank you mysterious stranger!" This worked like a charm! Should have taken before and after pics in retrospect. I can't explain how much time and effort this saved me.
Any way... I was thrilled with how it came out and thankfully so was the client. I'm always nervous to see how it goes. So far my commissions have been face to face transactions through word of mouth, which is fantastic, but I get anxious waiting for the clients' reactions when they see what they are paying for, even when I'm happy with how it looks.
I was really happy with how the primary colors worked out overall. The blue was an after thought since I thought it was looking too drab. The red doesn't scream good guy to me, but since that was the customers request I wanted to tone that down by adding in the blue and the white. This was a nice escape from the grim dark future, but with an 1850 tournament around the corner, I'm excited to get that army in gear as well. I'm using much of what I brought to the doubles tournament, so those bikes are set to go. The devastators are also complete. I just need to get the guard squared away and get started on a librarian on a bike, wielding the Mace of Redemption.
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