Light and Dark Characters... So to Speak

I've been working on an army - finally!  It's been way too much fiddling with one-off miniatures, but I've broken through the block and taken the plunge.

But that's later.  Here's my version of Dante and Saint Celestine.

A Quickie! Blood Angel List.

Just a quick post before I head to the FLGS.  I took the next few days off for much needed downtime.

I've got my Daemons list turned in for this weekend's 'Ard Boyz, and I tested it against the Mighty Mighty Carlos last night.  Good to go.

The Card Pimp in Question isn't particularly hip on playing the old; he wants to try another army type, more indicative maybe of what he might face.

I threw this together:

40K Video: Eldar Vs Blood Angels

Here's another Battle Report between me and the Mighty Mighty Carlos. Keep in mind, the purpose of these games is to test Carlos' Blood Angels builds. As of this posting, we've played Game III, where I took him on with the forces of the Chaos Space Marines!



Yea, I'm aware it says 'Daemons' on the YouTube video - that's what I'm used to typing, I guess...

A Picture is Worth How Many Words?

I just finished my Bell article, and on a good week that takes the evening to write.  I was too beat for much more.

Of this I have no doubt: Carlos will be back.  He's learning a new army, and baby steps can be rough.  He'll stick it out.  I hope I do the same - I've finally decided my new build.  More on that later.

The Angels couldn't get a beachhead... and it didn't help the Terminators kept putting off coming in!

Daemons Vs Blood Angels, 2500pts

EDIT:  It was pointed out to me via YouTube that one can't choose to reroll the Descent rule if it passes, which Carlos was trying to do.   I checked the wording and it's clear: you can only reroll failed attempts.

I'll pass that on to the Mighty Mighty Carlos.  Now back to the regularly scheduled program...

Team Tournament: Game Two

In game two Whit and I played... the Mighty Mighty Carlos and the Professor.

Yup.  We drove two hours to play dudes we play all the time.  It was basically Game 4 of the practice series.  It sucked, frankly.

What sucked worse is it was a random draw!  The TO wasn't doing a Swiss but was randomizing the games between rounds.  There's a reason that system isn't used... *foreshadowing*

The game was Kill Points and Objectives.  We got the half we wanted and our deployment couldn't have worked out better.  We divided our army: here's the left flank.

Team Tournament: Game One (How Did Whit and I Do?)

Last week Everyone's Brother From Another Mother Big Whit and I teamed up to take on all comers at the Comic Asylum Team Tournament.  It was a three-round event with 750 points per player.

Let's take a look at Game One.

Right Flank.

Video Battle Report: The One That Got Away From Me

What can I say?  This is the video that took on a life of its own - I didn't even bother to edit it, that's how unworkable it is!

It's funny though, and the game is good.  Just don't watch if you prefer your words rated PG; while the adult language isn't used that much, you've been warned.

Oh, and Da Warboss?  Sorry in advance - I'm not sure why the Professor decided to poke fun at you.  Over and over and over...

Video Battle Report: Chaos Vs Imperium Team Game

The only 40K I've been playing in the last month has been in preparation for a team tournament at the Comic Asylum.  Here's Game III, where Big Whit and I test our new ideas against the Mighty Mighty Carlos and the Professor.

I actually have reservations about showing this video with the tournament only a week or so away; I know at least a few dudes who'll compete read this blog... but I'm a slave to the Blogosphere.  What can I say?

So it's Daemons and Chaos Space Marines Vs Blood Angels and Flesh Tearers... and be warned, there's *SELF-EDIT* involved.

Daemons and Marines Vs Blood Angels...

... a Team Game Battle Report!  Please note, I'm formatting the report in a way I hope organizes the action; let me know if it helps.

Today's Battle Report is the followup game from yesterday's Video Battle Report... and while you won't have cause to regret listening to the Professor's antics, I find I must warn you ahead of time that one of these pictures is so shocking, so outrageous...

...that I'll never look at my poor Horror in the same way again.  Click the 'read more' button to continue.

Video Battle Report: Team Game Practice

It's been awhile since I've dropped a video battle report on an unsuspecting audience.  We're practicing for a team tournament at the Comic Asylum, a new favorite venue in the Metroplex after the last trip Whit and I made.  Anyway, it's me and Big Whit Vs the Mighty Mighty Carlos and the Professor.



The Professor made my job difficult, no doubt... he was extra chatty and constantly interrupted the video.  Some of you will find it funny and some of you annoying.  You've been warned. :)

The Gun Shy Storm Raven... (just 'cause)

For better or worse, here's the updated Storm Raven.

A New Pattern Strictly Average Storm Raven?

Okay folks, I've finished the first major overhaul of my Storm Raven...

...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.

Da Boyz GT, Game 1

So, it's time to get to Da Boyz content... more specifically, the content most of you are interested in: the Battle Reports.

Lucky for you, I ALWAYS take my camera!

I went 2nd, but I didn't get my preferred drop, which was definitely the stronger of the two.  My plan changed at that point from 'attack' to 'hold him off.'  What was most important was the Horror unit with the Icon - I HAD to have that Icon, since the mission required your units to move to the opponent's deployment zone for the win.  Kris' zone is the left edge of the table, so you'll see later in the game my units shift left. 

Game 1 was against a new tournament player... my notes aren't here but unless I'm mistaken his name is Kris.  Obviously he's playing Blood Angels.  He's got a Furioso in a Pod, a Tac in Pod, two Tacs in Rhinos, a Predator, and a Land Raider Crusader with a Terminator Squad including a Reclusiarch and a Sanguinary Priest.  It's a fairly balanced rock to the head, but I like it a lot better than most Blood Angels armies out there.  He played it well but I think his inexperience played against him.

Strictly Average: Stalking Jawaballs Since 2009

There are some days that are just worth getting up for.  Here I was today, just finishing up my article for Blood of Kittens and trying to decide what to use from the stack of stuff for today's Strictly Average post when I caught sight of my banner... and it wasn't on Strictly Average!  Following it, I discovered Jawaballs had dedicated a post to good ol' Brent.

That's me!  Check it out.  (I took a screenshot just so he couldn't take it back later.)

That has seriously made my day, since everyone knows I'm his biggest stalker fan.  I've spent a lot of time standing in his flower garden peeking in his window making that joke over the past year and some, but he's always obtained a restraining order treated it with good humor.

In humble appreciation, I'm reprinting the blog post from BoLSCon 2009, Game 4... Brent vs Jawaballs.  Strictly Average has changed a lot since this post, not least of which is I don't dabble in controversy or E-drama anymore... unless it's funny!

Brent vs Jawaballs / Eldar vs Blood Angels

JAWABALLS!!

Aventine, Oh My Aventine!

Here we are, Game 7 of WarGames Con - the last and final game.

As I'm moving my stuff, TastyTaste comes over to my table and tells me I'm in the running for the second day RTT.  I didn't believe him.

We also worked out the bit about cheating; check out this video.  What's most funny is the bit that went right over everyone's heads... watch the video then Google 'Double-Knuckle Shuffle.'  There was a reason I said Aventine would go right over the table at me!

Good times, good times.

The 40K Wrecking Crew Plus Me and You

Okay guys, Brent here addressing the big blue Shark Tank and all you colorful ZombYe types about the wonderful world of tournament play. I’ve got some observations to make, so we can all have fun arguing about ‘em, but I decided to do a little something different and intersperse my commentary with the Battle Report for Game 1 of WarGames Con.

As many of you may know, I played in the Team Tournament with Goatboy; if you’re interested, there’s a rather funny video of us drunkenly playing the first game. That’s right: Friday morning and we’re high on life and a bit toasty on whiskey and Coke! Good stuff.

(Me and Goat's display board.  You'll notice I brought the Storm Buster, the Dyson Pattern Storm Raven, to sit on my display board... 'cause screw 'em, that's why!)

The Dyson Pattern Storm Raven...

...comfortably holds six Assault Marines with Jump Packs as it makes the Galaxy safe for cyclonic hand-vacuum technology.

(Okay, maybe they had to lay down to do it - but can your Wave Serpent do that, Gauthic?)

...

(What do you mean, "You wouldn't want to?")

A Strictly Average Storm Raven

Just my luck.  I finish my Storm Raven a day after it's announced GW is producing one.  I have another kit; I intended to photo a walk-through on another model if there was any interest - now I'm not so sure.

Don't get me wrong, I like the model and am proud of it - I think I've just spent too much time looking at the damn thing over the last three weeks.  I'll put it away for awhile until I'm inspired to try it out on the table.

A few notes... I built this model as a kit-bash.  I wanted a model that anyone could build with a minimum of fuss, but it still had to look as if it could transport Marines and would actually transport a Dreadnought.  I also wanted the ability to switch out weapons, but more I wanted there to be a spot for a sponson Hurricane Bolter, and the spot I left is in front of the side doors.  Were I to add the sponson, I'd have the door open up and down rather than to the left.

Enough talk - I hope you like it.

Battle Report: Daemons Vs Blood Angels

This is game two of yesterday's tournament, and I played Birdsong, a wily veteran of the North Texas / Oklahoma scene.  As I recall, I first met him 2 or 3 years ago in OKC for a Hard Boyz tournament, and since that time he often makes the trip from Lawton, OK to Wichita Falls, TX for our local events.

He's also the dude that pulled the Sanctuary Screwjob on me last month.  That's one of my favorite games, but I was just as happy to find out I wouldn't see Inquisitor Pissoff on the table again.

Okay, the tournament coordinator, Little Barrera, used missions modified from the Battle Missions book.  As you'll see from these games, this decision was somewhat controversial, especially in game 3.  I was fine with them, but then they tended to play to my strengths.  Case in point, this game.  The astute reader will recognize the mission as that from one of my previous video battle reports, Daemons Vs Blood Angels (Brent Vs He Who Shall Not Be Named).  As I said there, this mission plays to the strength of Daemons who are able to work through the synergy of 1 or 2 units, whilst other armies aren't quite as capable.  I also said we determined the Defender should turtle up in the middle, which is possible since regardless of the sector you roll, you can set up within 24-square inches of the center.  The attacker is forced to move on from the board edge of whatever quadrant he rolls.  Also, there is an objective in the center of each of the 6 sections.  Got it?

Well, I rolled higher than Birdsong and chose to be the defender, turning the mission on its head.  He was forced to go first and deploy from the long edges onto an empty battlefield.  Truth be told, that shouldn't have made much of a difference, since it's very similar to what's going to happen when you play Daemons, regardless of the mission.  Consider: he would have had a turn to set up and a turn to fire/assault before I could launch an assault, and in fact I would have had less ability to escape the assault since I would be Deep Striking for the middle of the table.  All that said, for some reason the scenario made a difference to his strategic thinking and he made what I believe was the worst decision: he kept everything in reserve.  Also, he chose not to Deep Strike his Assault Squads but rather move in from the long edge... but that makes a certain amount of sense, given he'd have the ability to launch an assault on the turn he arrives.  The downside, though, is he loses the ability to re-roll his reserve roll.  Point is, the Daemons army is designed from the ground up to function through Deep Strike - it's difficult to beat it at its own game.  Moving on, I got my preferred wave, and I'm obviously setting up my Fiends and Khornedogs to assault whatever comes on, wherever it comes on at.  Birdsong was forced to drop a Pod, so his Librarian Dread hit the table.

At the top of 2, Birdsong gets his Baal Predator, an Assault Squad, and a Devastator Squad with Corbulo.  Like I said, he's a canny player, so he immediately targets my Troops.  The Baal on the left flank targets Plaguebearers in the ruins, as does the Assault Squad in the middle.  The Librarian Dread flies over and engages my last unit of 'bearers.  I go to ground then weather the assault as well as possible.

I weather the storm as well as possible, then launch my Fiends across in a series of assaults.  Two points; I send Karnak to reinforce the Plaguebearers against the Librarian Dread, and while the Fiends would have been a better choice to destroy it, I needed them elsewhere.  Karnak had a chance, and at worst I could hold the Dread in place.  Second, check out the above picture - this is something Birdsong pointed out to me, and I'd like to pass it along to you.  This unit of Fiends failed to roll high enough to cross the difficult terrain and assault the Devastator Squad.  As you can see, the other unit had no problem doing so, given they had a straight shot.  Birdsong pointed out I could have targeted the vehicle and avoided the terrain test, then possibly picked up a few of the Devastators.  This was a great point, and I missed it because of the angle of the table - had I walked around it, or examined it from another view, I would probably have seen it.

So, Birdsong gets some Scouts in the corner, I get the Great Unclean One... and boy, I needed that!  I was worried about my opponent's strategy of targeting my Troops.  The big boy dropped Breath and knocked off the TL'd Assault Cannons.  The engagements continue.

My Horrors are dropped into Sector One (see the big casino dice?) as is Birdsong's smallish Assault Squad.  He ignores the Fiends and heads for the Troops, following his strategy.  I agree with this decision, even though it didn't work out for him; sometimes it's most important to stick with your plan when it seems like it's not working, because the moment you change it is guaranteed not to work.  Obviously too, you have to know when to abandon and idea - but that Catch 22 is what makes the game fun.

At this point, the game is coming close to its end.  It's hard to see here, but the Horrors are firmly in control of Sector 1 and I still have a Plague Bearer in the ruins in the middle of Sector 2.  In Sector 3 my Great Unclean One and a Daemon Prince are tackling a Tac Squad with Razorback and the still dangerous Baal.  My Khornedogs are dying off slowly but surely, but are eventually reinforced by a unit of Fiends, who manage to bring it down.  Anyone notice what hasn't made an appearance?

Yea, yea, yea...

Ah, there he is!  Yup, Mephiston didn't show up until Turn 4.  He charged one of my Daemon Princes and began to prove what a monster he is.  Frankly, I'm lucky he didn't show up earlier, since he was fighting off my Daemon Prince and a unit of Fiends on the charge - what the hell else was I going to have to throw at him?  He's a true beast, and I'm a bit more worried than I was about Jawa and Goat's Blood Angels at the BoLSCon Team Tourament.

Basically, that was game.  Birdsong asked afterward if I felt vindicated.  Yup!

I'm aware the scenario was an uphill battle, but I thought it was made more so by his decision to full reserve.  Given this is a topic that's pretty pertinent, I'll weigh in.  Ready?

It depends.

Brent

(What?  You expected more?)