4.28.2010

Game 4: Daemons Vs Salamanders

Okay, we've reached the end of the local tournament I've been posting about.  This was top table, #1 (yours truly) and #2, Farseer Tim.  My Daemons Vs his Salamanders.  The last game we played was a pretty brutal affair... truth be told, I don't remember who won.  I know it was the first time I'd played against an Ironclad Dreadnought before, and I hated the experience.

In that previous game, his Ironclad assaulted a Plague Bearers squad and I'd countered with a Daemon Prince.  I'd knocked off an arm, but that just extended the whole affair out and he kept me there the entirety of the game.  Annoying.  That was also the game where I rediscovered how little I like Null Zone.

Null Zone cost me my game against Nick's Salamanders at BoLSCon 2009 (from Chapterhouse Studios, and Nick was a great guy - I highly recommend him and his products), but that was when I still played my Eldar.  Daemons have a whole other reason to dislike it!

Anyway, I didn't capture too many pictures, because I ended up playing like a maniac.  You see, Evil Homer's opponent forfeited on Table 2, on Turn 2 (there's a story there, but I'm not sure it's mine to tell), giving Evil Homer a major victory.  I knew points were close, so I thought there was a good chance I'd have to score a major against Farseer Tim to take first place on the day.  I knew to have any shot of doing that, I'd have to fit in a full game.  That means push the game, play faster, roll faster, move quicker..!  I probably annoyed the hell out of Tim, but he was a good sport about it.  He knew why... and something that occurs to me as I write this: he could have deliberately played for a draw rather than pushing for a win himself (playing not to win but to cost me a win), and probably cost me the tournament.  I'm sure he knew he could do it, but I'm equally sure he never would have.  He's one of the good guys, and I've got mad respect for him.

But you still have to wear a tinfoil hat around him - his power of suggestion is legendary.

Bah!  5 objectives means I've got to... you know, it only just occurred to me, writing this now, that I literally HAD to table Tim for a major.  I'm pretty sure the victory conditions were to control all the objectives for a major and more than your opponent for a minor.  While I like having major and minor wins as a category, I think that's taking it too far.  If you roll for 5 objectives, like we did, you'd better hope you'd filled out 5 troop slots.  The missions seriously need another look, much like the guys were saying in the recent comments.

In the above shot, you see I've played for my toughest drop, which is all 4 beasts units (Fiends and Khornedogs) and all 3 Daemon Princes.  I consider this my all-or-nothing drop, and while I'm aware many Daemons players advocate this style, I normally don't.  I don't like to win or lose on one roll of the dice, so normally I have my 'shooting / not shooting' split, that way regardless of what I get I can work a plan - either set up charges or drop aggressively for an alpha strike.  The above drop gets all my best units on the table from Turn 1.  Farseer Tim sets up in a line with his Land Raider centralized, balanced by his two Razorbacks.  He's got attack bikes on the wings and in the middle, 5 in all.  I drop, we mix it up... what's to say?  Nothing, except that once again I misjudge how far a Land Raider can move and disgorge troops to assault - doh!

I'm afraid I didn't get the pictures of the middlegame.  Suffice it to say, we mixed it up good.  Tim used Null Zone to great effect, but I managed to neutralize the Terminator Librarian and Terminator Assault Squad... with some help from Farseer Tim, who managed to roll 3 ones for saves in 1 turn!

The picture is rather later in the game, when I was beginning to wonder if I had the goods to win this game!  A unit of Fiends is assaulting a Tac squad in the upper right quadrant, fighting over an objective.  I win, then plant 'bearers there.  My Horrors move left, screened by my Great Unclean One, and take the centralized objective.  My GUC drops Breath on the Land Raider, immobilizes it, then charges, destroying it.  My other two Plague Bearer units have a tight control of the two objectives, but his two Attack Bikes manage to kill a Daemon Prince - who was in combat with them, no less! - and charge off to attack the 'bearers on the left flank.  I end up having to reposition my last unit of Fiends to help them out.  The fight ends up hottest on the last objective, where the Iron Clad is.  I fight hard, but ultimately can't beat the last of his army and claim the major.

Truth be told, I wouldn't have done so even with another turn.  He still had two squads and two vehicles, and certainly wouldn't have just handed them to me on a silver platter!  I was disappointed with a Minor Win, thinking I'd lost the tournament.

But I'd won!  I'd misunderstood the conversation; basically, I'd made a scoring error in my game with Evil Homer, but it was a point (or two, not sure) they weren't going to worry about unless it mattered, and it wouldn't unless I failed to win my game.  As it turned out, I needed a Minor Victory to secure the top spot, which is what I got.

Stressed myself out for nothing!  Still, it was a good game, and Farseer Tim put up a sterling defense.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

You can tell the story of EH just make sure you get it right. It was not so much a forfiet I only had 8 models left. His list is total BS. Unless you get real lucky with the mission and get to go first hang it up. He is a good player and he has built a list that is real strog. To strong if you ask me. It is prue cheese and sucks. When you lose 3/4 of your army in turn one and what is left can't move of shoot what are you supposed to do. I know it is a legal list, but I think it needs to go. I was not mad at EH just the army. I will NEVER play that army again. If matched up with him I will not pull my army out of the box. I am sick of the way I feel after that ass raping. It is no fun and can ruin a good day. I was having a good day then that. It was so bad I don't drink but I downed a six pack in an hour that night. Well I will be gone for the next three weeks time to heal some. Still I am done playing that army.

Master Manipulator (every store needs one) said...

At first I was not gonna comment, but here goes.

Regardless of what you have left, if you pick up your models and leave that is a forfeit.

Second of all, there is no question that EHs list is tough. You make it out to be total BS. If his list is total BS and should be banned, what should we do with Brent and Mikes list?

Out of the last 6 tournaments, EH has one only one. Brent has won 3, Mike has won 2. So if EH's list should be banned than I guess we should ban Mike's Wolves and Brent's Daemons.

I understand you had a frustrating day, and you don't particularly enjoy playing EH, but don't make it out that the list is broken just because you lost to him (or because you have trouble with the list).

Hell, I took two major beatings to Eldar and Vulcan marines...you don't hear me bitchin that those lists are broken do you? Oh, and BTW me and EH have played 3 times. 1-1-1. That is he record. With a sub-par list, from an outdated and outmatched codex, 1-1-1. Does not sound too broken to me. Tough yes, broken no!

Chumbalaya said...

That's a real gem anon, funny stuff. I know there are plenty of folks all over the intertubes who'd be more than happy to give you some help against the supposed BS list.

Good report Brent and congrats on your big W.

Evil homer said...

the list being discussed is mine. I feel it is a good guard list but far from optimized. When the artillery is on its pretty rough. Strangely enough the first three games that day the arty was damn near useless.

Anyhow, the list is roughly:
Ccs 4x plasma
Pbs x6
(3) vet w/3x melta
Platoon, naked pcs, naked squads x2
(3)hws 3x autocannons
(3)vendettas (naked guards ride here)
(2) manticore
Colossus

See not an optimal list but decent. It completely relies on the arty for the heavy lifting and to dictate terms of engagement.

Battle mission scenario dont help matters. So much of the game involves the alpha strike, battier mission defenders often cant reserve, thats one less alpha strike defense available and the only one available to everyone.

Forgive post mistakes, im on my phone

Michael said...

Good on ya Brent for the win!

It's always best, imo, to play for the win in close circumstances, it makes you play your best. It gets my adrenaline flowing, lol.

And I understand that Anon doesn't want to play the list again. I don't think it is fair to call him out on it. Let him enjoy 40k the way he likes it, not the way you like it. Give him a break.

A loss like that would make me want to improve my game. But that isn't everyones mindset.

DRWIZ223 said...

What ever anyone else thinks about the army is ok with me, this is the way I think. As for Brent and Mike yes they have stong armies and yes I have lost to them, but at least I have a chance and play them strong. I have beat both those armies in this build up. Maybe it just me I don't know. EHs army kills me. I did play a close game with him at 1250, but I went first. I am just saying that if you don't go first and he gets everything off hang it up. I would bet that most if not all the games he lost he went second. Now Brent if diff. because of the way his army comes in. Yall have told me sev. times that we should play for fun not to win all the time. Well that is not fun at all. In my opion it is BS that is for others to decide on their own. Well like I said going on Vac. will be gone for 3 weeks. Hope to heal a little. The sad part about the whole thing is I built my army with his in mind to try and stop it. I do believe if I go first it turns up diff. But with the missions now if you go first you also set up second will be advantage to him. Ok enough about it I am done with it. Moving on.

Fleahost said...

That is rough, to face Evil Homer's army, setting up first and going second. Glad I dodged that bullet. I think I'd have to bring my Evil Mr. Burns list to beat him.

(A new favorite!) Anon: I haven’t even bothered playing a game of 6th yet, cause I have read the rules, and actually understand how they interact with units. I know my armies no longer function how they should, and so I need to change them.

Strictly Average: 'cause 6-inches is all you get.

Stalking Jawaballs since 2009.

Jawaballs: "My butt just tightened up."

Brent, preferred 2-to-1 over Not Brent in a recent, scientific poll.

Brent: emptied the Kool Aid and DRINKING YOUR MILKSHAKE with an extra-long straw.

Unicorns don't exist.

Home of the Stormbuster, the Dyson Pattern Storm Raven.

I'm a comment whore and this whore is getting no play.

Not Brent hurts Brent's feelings.

I think, therefore I blog.

"You should stop writing for everyone else and worry about your crappy blog." - Anon.

Not Brent has been spotted lurking around with a green marker.

He's not like a bad guy from a cartoon, all devious but never quite evil, Not Brent is bad beans, man, bad beans.

Dethtron: "Again I feel obliged to remind you that trying to sound smart only works if you are."

MVB: "I am not one to join the unwashed masses of self-titled 40k experts out there distributing advice from their blogs about exactly how your list should be built..."

Shiner Bock on tap: that's how I choose hotels.

Strictly Average: The Home of Hugs and Gropings.

Don't feed the trolls!

MoD: "Welcome to Brent's head."

Competitive is Consistent.

Dethtron: "...you could use that extra time to figure out a way to get your panties unbunched and perform a sandectomy on your vagina."

Dethtron: “When calling someone an idiot, it's generally best to avoid making grammatical mistakes.”

Warboss Stalin: "You know, if it actually WAS funny, maybe I wouldn't mind."

Mike Brandt: "It's not a successful bachelor party if you don't misplace someone".

"The Master Manipulator (every store needs one): "...now, enough stroking."

Kirby: "I don't know about gropings. Seriously, Brent, keep it in the pants, please."

Loquacious: "No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get Hugs & Gropings or Stalks Jawaballs into Brent's little tribute."

Captain Kellen: "I rate this article a Brent on the Faith Hill to Nancy Pelosi scale!"

Drathmere: "Come for the balls, stay for the Brent? Kind of disturbing, man."

Go no further, lest thee see something thine eyes would fain look past!

Isabelle: "So, thank you for supporting your local and not so local unicorns. A noble gesture like that can show some scared kids out there that they don't have to hide from everyone and it's ok to be who they really are."

There is nothing more interesting than We The People... in all our beautiful, ugly glory!

On Internet Advice: You see, I have an almost religious belief that's it's a huge, colossal waste of time.

...I think I'll call it the Gun Shy Pattern Stormbuster, because after the Internet destroyed my first humble effort, I find I'm a bit worried about the reaction to this one.

Lauby: "Is it left over from that time you thought that you could just complete step one 12 times to meet the mandates of that court order?"

Not Brent: "I guess we'll have to read on and find out. Signed, Not Brent. Especially today."

Cynthia Davis: "I think the scrolling text is from Glen Beck's new book."

Grimaldi: "Spamming certain units creates interesting possibilities but also fatal weaknesses."

Purgatus: "Math can inform decisions. It cannot make decisions."

Thoughts? Comments? Hugs and gropings?

You'd be that much quicker to figure out what I mean when I refer to a Unicorn if I covered it in a rainbow flag.

SinSynn: (To Brent) "Curse you and your insidious influence on the internets..."

Dave G (N++): "You know you're an internet celebrity when your following is more akin to tabloids."

I prefer the term Internet Personality (or IP) myself, seeing as how I coined it.

Lauby: "Your attempt to humanize him as failed. I feel nothing but scorn for his beard - it's like a warcrime or something."

BBF: "I've always thought you are a good player but I finally figured out that you are a great player. It's hard to see sometimes because your personality is engaging, sincere and quite charming - to me that is kind of a rare combination."

'Clearly cheating?' I didn't misspeak: you jumped to conclusions. If you'd like to apologize I'll be happy to send you an autographed picture of my ass.

Ass.

I thought I was doing alright before I realized I was losing.

Age and treachery beats youth and vigor every time.

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