First Week of the League

So the league has started. And I have managed to grab 2 wins from two respected hobbyists. What I'm going to share today is about pre-match preparation, preparation before the game started.

1. Know your opponent

I cant stress this enough to myself, make sure you know your opponent list, because that would seriously affect how you going to deploy your army. Even if the opponent is an old friend that you play week in and week out, still there is no harm to just throw in a quick question, "Same list, old pal ??" You have every right to know your opponent list prior the start of the game.


2. Analyze your opponent list

Getting the list is just the starter, make sure you read / analyze your opponent list, at least you need to know what unit threatening you the most. If you are unsure about something in the list, or any special rules that come with a special named character, I always make sure I ask my opponent to explain clearly to me. Other than that, when you look into your opponent list, you can roughly predict how your opponent will do to go against your list. For example, nobz bikers will most likely charge into your army asap, and you can pretty sure an IG leafblower will just dig in and blast you to the next kingdom come. Knowing this, you should start to prepare yourself on what you might face in a short while.


3. Relax and Play

Dont fret just because it's a league/tournament. Relax yourself and have fun. You will not play full to your standard if you are nervous. Just face the game itself and love your model like you used to.


League game is a long and ongoing tournament, make sure you are well prepared and you can definitely score a good spot in the league table. And no matter how well you play or how your dice abandon you at the critical moment, just remember this is still a game and make sure you have fun.

Let the League Begin !!

Alright, I must admit I'm darn busy to update my blog. And thanks to the staff in CM for organizing such an event that does not require models to be fully painted, I present to you, CM League.

So, here's my list for the league,

1500

HQ - Lash prince with wings
HQ - Nurgle prince with warptime

Elites - 5 men chosen, 3x melta, 2x plasmagun, rhino
Elites - 5 men chosen, 3x melta, 2x plasmagun, rhino

Troop - 5 men CSM, IoCG, rhino
Troop - 5 men Plague Marine, 2x melta, champion, powerfist, p. icon, rhino

Heavy - 2x Obliterator
Heavy - 2x Obliterator
Heavy - 2x Obliterator


1750

HQ - Lash prince with wings
HQ - Nurgle prince with warptime

Elites - 5 men chosen, 3x melta, 2x plasmagun, rhino
Elites - 5 men chosen, 3x melta, 2x plasmagun, rhino

Troop - 5 men CSM, IoCG, rhino
Troop - 8 men Plague Marine, 2x melta, champion, powerfist, p. icon, rhino

Heavy - 3x Obliterator
Heavy - 3x Obliterator
Heavy - 7x Havocs, 4x autocannon, IoCG


So I have the honor to start the league by playing the first game against one of the most respected veteran in the shop and he played Blood Angel !! My first time going against BA and I must admit I was quite nervous at the start after hearing how evil BA is. My mate aint familiar with his league list therefore giving me the chance to pull off a win in this first league game of mine. So I guess it's a friendly game after all with no help from outsiders, dont fret just because it's a tournament match as it would definitely affect my decision.

More league games tomorrow, let's see how my non-evil list fair.

When Everything Seems Hopeless...

When we talk about power gaming, it's all about winning. And in order to win, you need to get ready yourself to go against all kinds of nasty army build, or better known as cheese list that your opponent might field. And whether or not you are fielding a good list (good army build, but not cheese *grin*) or also another cheese build (*evil grin*), you will sooner or later found out that your list is no match against your opponent is one or some of the aspect in the game (except you and your opponent fielding the exactly same units from the same codex).

So, that's what we are going to discuss in this article. Prior to choosing side, you request your opponent army list and notice you will be either outgun, outnumber or your opponent will crush like an ant when they get close to you, or even worse, your list stands little chance to even secure a draw, by just looking at the paper !! I had that moment on last weekend when playing a game with another friend of mine, he play the infamous lash prince + abby + 9 obby + 2 squad plague marines list - outgun most of the units out there and abby can crush anyone like a bug. And then take a look at my poor list, I have nothing that can go head to head with him !! I told myself, oh well... screw this, let's do my best and see how's the game goes. At the end, I lost the game by 8:5 in an annihilation mission. Not too shabby as I predicted myself will get my ass whooped very badly but the result aint any something that should be proud of neither. And I thought to myself, it's either I think out of a solution to go against army like his, or I can just kiss the tournament goodbye.

My friend list is just one of the many famous cheese list (sorry Peter, couldnt think any better word to describe it, but hey, I have no grudge for losing that one :P) I'm sure you heard of chaos double lash + 9 obby, IG leaf blower or Orks' nobz bikers, and these list sure outgun or outfight you one way or another. So, what would you do when you found out that your chances of winning is thin by just judging the list ??

I have thought a lot about the game I had with Peter. And I have think a way and eager to try that next round when I meet him again or face another guy with a list that could outgun me. The solution that I could think of is, put everything in reserve and avoid their gun line using terrain pieces. Just avoid is not enough to win the game, strike on the weak spot is needed !! Like against my friend list, obviously the soft spot is his rhino in a kill point mission... Let's see how I do this weekend with this concept in mind :)

And what would you do if you are in such situation ??

Swapping with Your Opponent

I have quite a number of games in my belly last weekend at Comic Mart, and surprisingly, I didnt play Chaos in any of these games (I bet my models are mad at me for taking them out but not playing them). I play 2 games with Sis and a game with SM. I have found myself quite fond of playing non-CSM, not for the factor of fun, but towards understanding the other codex better.

Although I must admit I was very clumsy at playing something that I have not played before, especially when it's not T4 army :P However, I found it quite fun and it really helps to understand a codex better when you play with them on the battlefield. I cant say I'm an sister expert now, however, the sister list that I think is tough to beat (3 exo, 4 squads of sob and cannoness standard sister list) are not impossible to beat, the problem is whether you understand the codex or not. What sun tzi said is correct, you cant win if you dont know yourself and your enemy, you have 50% chance of winning if you know yourself well but not enemy, and you will win if you know both yourself and enemy well.

So, next time if you think a list is unbeatable, why not request your opponent to switch list with you, and I'm sure you will know its weakness in the matter of time. :)

Weekend Summary

I had a total of 4 games over the last weekend, first 2 at Legio Malaysia and another 2 at Hobby Forge. I swap my 10x CSM squad with a 7 men fully kitted Noise Marines as I felt that I lack of anti hordes capability.

First game vs old pal Redeye on a spearhead annihilation mission. The terrain setup was pretty disadvantage to both of us as our lists relies alot on our heavy support. I decided to split my armies into two, one on flanking while the other part going through the middle of the table as there's a big ruin that provide cover for both of us. However, once I managed to lash his most killy unit, the assault termies + cassius to middle, I abandon my initial plan to focus all fire on them. At the end, I won this game with a very very small margin. I felt that I could have accomplish more should I stick to my original plan as by the end of the game, my DPs were all dead due to overkill the assault termies then get shot to death before reaching the next line, while the rest of the troops cant reach to his support line in time by the time game ended. Oh well.. lesson learnt.

Second game vs joe, 2 LRs fully filled with berzerkers and Abaddon. Mission was C&C on dawn of war. I won the roll and decided to let him go first. (not sure if this is a good decision though, you tell me) I lost this game as I lost all my troops and couldnt lash his troop far enough away from his own objective. Made a big mistake by not popping smoke on my plague marines rhino (there were sent to capture his objective while the rest of the army sitting at base to welcome Abby and gang) and his termicide DS in time and pop my rhino. Ended up my plague marine were tie down since Turn 3 by ctermies. Should have never underestimate the destruction termicide can bring next time. Roll were average.

Third game vs Jarvin, an Orks player. He fieled warboss, 60+ orks boys on foot, big meks, helikopta and tankbusta. My first hordes opponent, and we are playing annihilate/dawn of war. I TA him by turn 5 as I have some lucky roll on the lash distance combined with doom siren and plasma cannon that did major damage to his boys before I assaulted them. Roll were average on my side but poor Jarvin had below average dice roll that day.

Fourth game vs another old pal, Wong. Wong is using some alot units time wasting list. Mission were annihilate/pitch battle. I split my forces two parts again due to very little cover available from my side. I won the game by 9-5, I think. Lesson learnt, I shouldnt always try to split my troops into two as if it werent some lucky rolls, I might have been TA-ed for quite some time. Lash prince died on 1st turn without even moving 1 inch is a good example in this game. Roll were bad at the start then roll become above average after turn 2.

My 1st Tournament

On 20th March 2010, I headed a big first step in my tabletop experience where I participated my first Warhammer 40k tournament after playing near to 1 year.

Held by Game Forge Penang, the tournament itself is in 400pts Combat Patrol. No soft score such as sportmanship and painting score will be recorded in this tournament, solely winning point and score. Every participant will need to play 3 games and the one who score the most will win the tournament, more like a league game to me.

There are certain rules and restriction on the list itself which I will not go into details. The major restriction were no model with more than 2 wounds, more than 2+ armor sv/invul sv and at least 1 troop. And here's my list,

6 men plague marines, 2 meltagun, champ with pf
5 men havocs with 4 autocannon, IoCG
Rhino

My 3 rounds opponents were, 2 10 men Ultramarines, Runic priest + long fang SW and an Dark Eldar that field warrior with haemoculus + gang on jetbikes. I recorded 2 clear wins and a clear lost against the SW player. I was told that I was pretty close to claim the third spot, however I'm satisfied with the result seeing this is my first tournament as I dont expect myself to win anything, more towards to how I adapt to the tournament environment. I must admit I'm quite nervous on my first game, although all opponents are all friendly gentlemen. :)

Congratulations to all the winners and I must say I really enjoy the tournament itself. Sporecon NEXT !!

That's Why It Started.....

Everyone have their own definition when it comes to defining or explaining a word. Due to the experience, environment and other factors that come into play which affect a person's attitude and POV on certain thing. This theory apply to me as I am no different than you, who are reading this article and others whom we met daily. Before I start babbling, let me describe myself in a few sentences so that you know where my definition came from on this topic later on.

I am an ambitious person, in real life and I never hide my nature because that how I behaved !! And those who know me for quite some time all are aware of it, describing me as competitive, wanted to win and other similar description. My experience in tabletop are pretty short, in fact, I started somewhere mid of 2009, so I have not even have 1 full year of experience in 40k tabletop as of writing this article. But to me, all the games are the same, and cruel, sadly to say where winner/loser have to be determined at the end of the game. And due to the nature of the game itself, that where the concept of power gaming started from.

The most simple way to define the word "power gaming" is do whatever it takes to win. There's nothing wrong with it, isnt it ?? What's wrong when somebody is trying to win ?? Isnt that what we have been educated all these years ?? Our parents asked us to study hard so that we get 1st in the class (I dont know if your parents asked you this, but surely my parents and most of the parents in Malaysia do !!)

From my POV, it's absolutely nothing wrong for "wanted to win", but, how come some people do not want to admit or afraid to be labeled as power gamers ?? From my experience, it's all because some of these power gamers will do whatever it takes to win, even if it's unethical, and that's where the trouble begun. Of course, I'm not encouraging you to be an unethical power gamers but I do believe power gaming in an ethical way will make you, and me :) more than welcome in the gaming community. I believe so, and I shall insist to do so in my path of power gaming.

And, that's why this blog is started.