Ard Boyz Prep and Prep Missions for the Mile High GT

did some ard boyz prep for myself this weekend, and took the following list:

Hive Tyrant
- Paroxysm, Heavy Venom Cannon, Psychic Scream, Lash, Bonesword, Old Advarsary
Tyrant Guard x2

Tervigon
- Catalyst, Onslaught, Cluster Spines

Zoanthrope x2
Zoanthrope x2
Zoanthrope x2

Termagaunts x10
Termagaunts x10
Tervigon
- Catalyst, Onslaught, Cluster Spines
Tervigon
- Catalyst, Cluster Spines

Harpy
- TL Heavy Venom Cannon
Harpy
- TL Heavy Venom Cannon
Harpy
- TL Heavy Venom Cannon

Carnifex Brood x3
- Heavy Venom Cannon, Twin Linked Devourers, Adrenal Glands

Ran the tyrant with the carnifex & guard as a nasty deathstar unit that NOBODY could cause enough damage on to kill except ghazkull with a squad of Power Klaw nobz.

Things I discovered:
1. Onslaught did nothing. I used it once over 3 games for no bonus effect as I was in lance range already. - 30 Points Wasted.
2. I HAVE to remember that the tervigons have the spines. I forgot to shoot them for 1 and 1/2 games and it cost me the first game.
3. Nob Bikers HATE heavy Venom cannons. 4+ cover save and that is all they get as FNP does nothing for them and since it is S9 Instant death hurts them a LOT.
4. Psychic Scream only got used one time, but Paroxysm really screws with a lot of armies.
5. Harpies are pure gold. everyone seems to think otherwise, but for this build they were perfect. 12" move plus a Twin Linked 36" S9 blast is pure beauty.
6. With the number of Gaunts that this army produces, it is literally Impossible to get all of them out of 6" range of the tervigons. HOWEVER since everyone seems to not target the tervigons until turn 3, it seems that this is not so much a problem as it is a blessing in disguise for the useless 30 points that I spent on Onslaught can now be used to buy Adrenal Glands for the Tervigons to give them that Furious Charge. Now my only problem is to try and figure out if that is the best spending point for the tervigons as it seems that my most common and useful tactic for the termagaunts is to move up shoot/assault but by that Time I'm out of the 6" range of the Adrenal Glands and It would not affect them.

I guess my last question is how to fill that last 30 points.

Also play tested a couple of test missions for the GT that I have planned for september, they are some very tactical missions, had quite a few people test them out, and in their current incarnation I'm finding that about 85% of the games end in ties. Not sure if this is a good thing or not. For reference I've included them below if you would like to play them and give me some feedback, I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks for the help guys!

- Stephen

==========================================================


The standard scoring for this event is as follows:

There are 15 Total Battle Points available in each mission

0-5 For Objectives Controlled. Each Mission will have 5 objectives available. Each can be controlled as described in the Core Rule Book for Warhammer 40,000. Scoring Units must be within 3” and no opposing unit can be within 3” of the objective. Objectives are placed in the following order. 1 is placed in the center of the board. Then starting with the first player and altranating, each player places 2 objectives no closer than 12” from any other objective.

0-5 For Kill Points. Kill points have been modified for this event. Prior to each game, you and your opponent exchange army lists. Each player marks 5 units from that army list and those units are your kill points. You must destroy these units completely for the Kill point to count for you. Note: if you select a unit with a dedicated transport, only the unit must be destroyed. The transport may survive without penalty.

0/3 for the Primary Achievement. Each achievement is described in the mission itself.

0/2 for the Secondary Achievement. Each achievement is described in the mission itself.

Winning a Missions is determined as follows:

For a player to WIN a battle, he must fulfill one of the following requirements:
Score More Kill Points AND More Objectives
Score More Kill Points AND Tie on Objectives
Score More Objectives AND Tie on Kill Point

For a Tie to be scored. Any of the following happen:
One Player Scores more objectives while the other player scores more Kill Points
Players Tie on BOTH Kill Points and Objectives.

Overall Placement Within the tournament will be as follows:
Overall Winner is the player with the most Winning Record AND the most Battle Points in that order. So if after all games are played, and three players have an undefeated record, The Highest Battle Point scorer among those three is the Overall Winner.

If 2 or more players are tied in the above categories, Strength of Schedule will be used to determine the winner. This is determined by adding up all of the Cumulative Battle Points of All of the Tied Players Opponents. This determines who had a harder time reaching his Winningest Record. The player with the tougher Strength of Schedule is then the winner.



Assassanation

In addition to killing your chosen Targets and gaining objectives you must seek out and kill the commanders of the opponents Force. Games end at the end of turn 6.

Primary Achievement:
Kill All Opponent’s HQ Choices.
Both Players can achieve this. It is worth 3 Points if you successfully kill ALL of your opponent’s HQ Choices.


Secondary Achievement:
Destroy or immobilize all enemy transport vehicles. This achievement is worth 2 points if successful.If a player does not have any dedicated transports, you automatically achieve this achievement.


The player who wins goes first picks one table corner to be his deployment zone. The opposing player gets the opposite corner. From the corner, each player gets a triangular area that is 18 inches short of half of the table. Fall Back moves must be made towards the Long Table edge that each player’s deployment zone started with.




===============================================================

Trench Warfare

In addition to killing your chosen Targets and gaining objectives you must remove the opponent’s will to keep fighting.

Primary Achievement:

Reduce all opposing scoring units to 50% or less. This Achievement is worth 3 points if achieved.

Secondary Achievement:
Make an opposing TROOP Choice Fall Back Off of the Board. This achievement is worth 2 points if achieved.

Deployment:
The player who goes first picks one long edge. The other player gets the opposing long table edge. At the end of turn 6, Remove all units that are falling back as destroyed.

How I Would Play IG

So, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about the one and only army that I've never played. The lowly Imperial Guard. I've never had a taste for them, and likely never will. Seems to much of a modern military army and not a futuristic army..... Meh.

But, with my recent thoughts on what would scare me, it's not the "Leafblower" army that bols uses, it's more along the lines of the following:



HQ:
Company Command Squad  - 165
- 4x Plasma Guns
- Chimera - Heavy Flamer - Multi-Laser

Troops:
Infantry Platoon -   685

-  Platoon Command Squad
-  Melta Gun x4
- Chimera - Multi-Laser - Heavy Flamer


Infantry Platoon 1
- Commisaar


Infantry Platoon 2


Infantry Platoon 3


Heavy Weapons Squad x5
- Autocannons x15


Veteran Squad x10  - 155
- 3 Melta Guns
- Chimera - Heavy Flamer, Multi-Laser


Veteran Squad x10  - 155

- 3 Melta Guns
- Chimera - Heavy Flamer, Multi-Laser

Scout Sentinel Squadron  - 80
- 2 Sentinels w/ Autocannons

Scout Sentinel Squadron  - 80
- 2 Sentinels w/ Autocannons


Hydra Flak Battery  - 225
- 3x Hydras


Hydra Flak Battery  - 225
- 3x Hydras

Hydra Flak Battery  - 225
- 3x Hydras 


So, it's 19 autocannons
18 Flak Auto Cannons
10 Melta Guns
4 Plasma Guns

13 Chimera Chassis
4 Sentinels
11 Scoring Units

That to me is a far greater danger than the leafblower can be.
Maybe I'm not popping all of the tanks first turn, but I can pop enough of them to give my opponent headaches until the meltas show up an ruin the rest of their day.

all for 1995 points......

Finalized Ard Boyz Army List

So, After running a poll, and doing some other things that required a lot of thought, I've decided to shelve the Drop Pods for Ard Boyz. I'm going to be running a hybrid MC/Horde Tyranid List instead.

The list may look.... unconventional, but I decided that with my nidz, I want to do something that nobody else would. Build a competitive list that is out of the "Net Dex" lists around.

So, without further ado:

HQ:
Hive Tyrant
- Heavy Venom Cannon
- Lash Whip/Boneswords
- Paroxysm / Leech Essence
- Old Advarsary

Tyrant Guard x2 (Yay for more wounds and can't pick me out in CC)

Tervigon
- Catalyst
- Onslaught
- Cluster Spines


Elite:
Zoanthrope x3

Zoanthrope x3

Zoanthrope x3
- Mycetic Spore
   - Twin Linked Deathspitters

Troops:
Termagaunts x10
- Fleshborers

Termagaunts x10
- Fleshborers

Tervigon
- Cluster Spines
- Catalyst

Tervigon
- Cluster Spines
- Catalyst

Fast Attack:
Harpy
- Twin Linked Heavy Venom Cannon
- Cluster Spines

Harpy
- Twin Linked Heavy Venom Cannon
- Cluster Spines

Harpy
- Twin Linked Heavy Venom Cannon
- Cluster Spines

Heavy Support:
Carnifex Brood
- 2x Carnifex
- Heavy Venom Cannon
- Twin Linked Devourers with Brainleech Worms
- Adrenal Glands


Total 2500 Points

How I run the Carnifex squads are with the Hive tyrant and Guard. This lets them pump out 3 HVC shots per turn to slow the advance of tankwalls, and to still have the benefit of 2x sets of Scything Tallons from the Tyrants Old Advarsary rules. None can be Instikilled except by force weapons, and the Tyrant can throw Paroxysm off at a unit that is going to be charged. The squad then gets to lash out with a massive 23 S6+ Attacks that hit on a 3+ with re-rolls. Given, this will not work all the time, but he can also use Paroxysm as a defensive weapon agains say a Thundershield squad that charges him/them  making them hit on a 5+.

Harpies keep their range bonus on most things and shoot vehicles/squads with the TL HVC. I'll have a minimum of 7 scoring units, 2 of which are extremely survivable.

The Gaunt tax are just a fire screen. 2 squads of Zoies advance and bust tanks/kill marines until they die. and one comes in with 3 zoies to blast those annoying LRs and the pod itself pumps out 9 shots at the closest squad. Sure it's BS2, but with 3 of those shots being twin linked and every shot wounding most things on a 3+, it's the best layout IMO as you don't have the chance of a blast marker scattering back onto you.

Thoughts? Criticisms?

A Competitive Event

So, in all honesty the last time I RAN an event was about 2 years ago.

I'm taking the Plunge again, but this time with the aim of making a truely competitive event.

I've talked to GW about the GT Circuit, and unfortunately I'll be unable to get on the Circuit for 2011, But I'll likely be able to get on it for 2012, provided I can get enough participants.

So, if anyone would like to play in a COMPETITIVE EVENT, please email me. stephenberenyi(at)hotmail.com

So far, the rules of the event are:

- 5 Games, each with a 2 hour time limit. If you slow play and fail to complete the 4th turn, each player takes a -5 Battle Point Hit.
- Painting is REQUIRED (3 colors minimum)
- 2,000 pt Lists (1998 is fine, 2001 is too much)
- No Sportsmanship Score
- No Composition Score
- No "Soft" scores of any type
- Painting is a Separate event and will be Voted on by both the Participants and a Panel of judges, and your painting results WILL NOT effect your battle points.
- All placements will be based off of BATTLE POINTS
- W/L/D record is irrelevant, but honestly, pulling ties does not net you many battle points so... draw your own conclusions.
- There are a total of 15 Battle Points per game.
- Battle Points will be rewarded thusly:
   - 5 Objectives each worth 1 Point while CONTROLLED
   - 5 Kill Points (Decided Prior to game) Each Worth 1 Point
   - Primary Achievement (Varies by battle) Worth 3 Points
   - Secondary Achievement (Varies by battle) Worth 2 Points
   - In ALL CASES Cumulative VICTORY POINTS will break ties. Then if still tied, strength of schedule will be used to break ties.
-Placement will be using the accelerated placement system:
   - First Round is Random and will determine Seeding
   - Second Round has the top 1/8th of the Field play the 2nd 1/8th of the field, 2nd 1/4th play the 3rd 1/4th of the field and the 7th 8th play the last 8th of the field.
   - Third Round has the top 1/4th play the 2nd 1/4th of the field, while the 3rd 1/4th plays the last 1/4th of the field
   - Fourth and 5th Rounds play like a Standard Swiss Tourney where 1st plays 2nd 3rd plays 4th, etc. This makes sure that the "Top Players" will most likely have to play the top players and the middle ground players will likely stay middle ground.

It will be held in Butte, Montana this september (tentatively set for the 18th and 19th, but that may change by a weekend either way.

Entrance is $30. Prize Pool is determined by the number of enteries.

Prizes will be split up as follows:

4th Place - 1 Part of Pot
3rd Place - 2 Parts of Pot
2nd Place - 3 Parts of Pot
1st Place - 4 Parts of Pot
Best Painted - 3 Parts of Pot

So with a prize pool of $750 the prizes will be split like follows:

4rd Place  - $57
3rd Place - $114
2nd Place - $171
1st Place - $228
Best Painted - $171

Thanks for the Read.
Stephen

Heroquest Board Nearing Completion.

So, I've got all of the squares down, as well as a bit of detailing on them, Also I have painted the entire thing black after the above picture was taken.

Now I get to drybrush the crap out of it with gray then seal it. The magnetics work very well to hold down the walls and the minis, I also have to take pics of the Wizard and a "Ghost" that I've painted up for this so my current progress is at:

- Wizard Finished
- Barbarian Finished
- 1 of 2 Ghosts Finished
- All 9 Chaos Warriors finished
- Board nearly finished
- Walls started
- Ranger, Rogue, Fighter & Cleric need to be painted
- Box needs to be built.
- Skeletons need to be purchased assembled/painted
- Lizardmen need to be purchased assembled/painted
- Orks need to be painted
- Goblins need to be painted
- 1 Ogre needs to be painted
- Demon needs to be painted/assembled

So I've still got a ways to go, but it's coming together quite quickly. I'm quite happy with the results thus far.

- Stephen

'Ard Boyz - A Users Guide

So, Ard boyz will be here in a little over a month.

Some things I've noticed with people around the Webz that seems to be a trend is that they are planning on bringing a scaled up version of their normal list.

For some this COULD work, but for the majority of people, it simply will end in failure.

Why? well, there are a couple of reasons for my opinion of this:

1. Most people play at the 1500-1850 point level, adding to your army from that point will likely change the entire way that your army plays.

2. Survivability. At that above point level, a tactical squad will likely survive more than a single turn of fire. at 2500, simply put, it won't.

3. Mechanized forces - This one is a bit more in depth, but to put is in a simple fasion, 6 land raiders is a viable list at 2500 points. Does your scaled up army have the ability to both destroy the land raiders and deal with the 3 squads of terminators inside? Most armies can not.

4. Fire Output. Look at the army that won last year, Alpha Strike from hell, and while he got lucky in the fact that he got to go first for all 3 of his final games, the list itself is really quite a bitch to deal with if you're un-prepared.

So, how is this meant to help you? well, I'm going to TRY to go into some things that I THINK may help you get to where you want to be....

First up is the Points difference and the fact that most armies do not scale properly. 

I would recommend that you start your list from scratch. If you plan on going, know that you WILL face some of the cheesiest lists out there. That is what this tournament is for. Bring the most broken combos you can and smash face.

You will likely see:
Pedro/Lysander and 9 Scoring units.
Doom of Malantai and 6 Squads of Aura of Despair Genestealers (protected by a bunch of Zoanthropes and perhaps a Venomthrope for good measure)
The Leafblower Alpha Strike
9 Vendettas with all sorts of nasty
5-6 Land Raider Spam
The List goes on and on, Can you be prepared?

So, Build your list from scratch.

Start with your focus. Say you want to try that "Subpar Internet Codex" (Tau) which in truth is one of the nastiest out there when built properly.

Take 9 Broadsides all with Team Leaders w/ Knife, DC (2 Gun Drones), all with ASS.
Throw in 5 Squads of 10 Kroot with 5 Kroot Hounds (the most deadliest of Tau CC Counter attack available)
2 Squads of 2 Piranha (simply put the best movement blockers in the game.)
10 Crisis Suits with Missiles and Plasma with Multi-Trackers.

Or Orks...
Take 3 Squads of Nob Bikers, 2 Full Squads of Lootas, 3 Squads of 2 Deffkoptas (TL ML and 1 Buzzsaw) and 3 Battlewagons full of 20 Boyz (yes you need the Deffrolla)

Up next we have survivability

With the points level pushing the limits of Apoc, you Know you will be facing a LOT of serious fire power. So, how will you survive it? First off you need to know that you will lose a lot of things over the course of each game. nothing in the game is invincible, and any unit can die. so plan for that and make yourself the least vulnerable as possible. For all armies (save NIDS) that means buying transports. Take razorbacks, Rhinos, Chimeras, Land Raiders, Raiders, Whatever you think will serve your needs best, but just take them.

You will thank me when it takes your opponent's 3 turns to kill a squad instead of 1 turn.

Also, remember to read and re-read the cover rules. Cover will come into play a lot in this tournament as with the sheer number of models on the board you will NEED to have things in cover at all times.

Several armies can affect cover like the Ork's Big Mek KFF, or the Tau Disruption Pods. use that to your advantage. Other armies can ignore cover like a Heavy Flamer heavy Vulkan Hestan list. Know that it will come up.

Mech is still king and with all the hoopla about the "Deffrolla kills mech" comments circling the web, don't get confused. you shoot that things av12 side and immobilize it and it cant kill mech. period.

Templating Death will be another thing to look out for. people will bring lists such as the AD MECH list I posted up quite a while ago. That thing pumps out 40+ templates per turn. 16 of which are PLASMA (S7 AP2) that will kill a lot of what you have in very short order. Be Prepared.

FIRE OUTPUT
Speaking of fire output, can you keep up with the Imperial Guard? I'm guessing no. But you can do your best. Dark eldar can bring more bright lances than anyone wants to see in a 2500 point list. Off hand calculation on this is 24 Dark Lances, plus another 9+ Blasters, oh, and it is all in fast skimmers. Yeah, that is a real pain to deal with. 3 ork loota squads can put out anywhere from 45-135 S7 AP4 shots per turn.

You need to be able to put out a lot of firepower each turn, sorry, 3 Railgun shots is simply not enough (looking at you 3 hammerhead players)

Get melta, get las cannons, get whatever you need. Just make sure that you get it.


All of the Ard Boyz games I've played have been modified missions. bear that in mind. You need to read the missions thouroughly. Kill Points AND objectives come into play in almost all of the games. Know what you have and read your opponent's list VERY CAREFULLY.

Best of luck to you.

Can Grey Daemonhunters be Competitive?

So, I've been wondering if a Daemonhunters army can be competitive..... So, Here is what I've come up with:

Bear in mind, it's the best I can do with Daemonhunters... and well, it's the best I can do:

2,000 Points Daemonhunters

Grand Master   -  195
  - Nemesis Force Weapon, Psycannon, Psychic Hood

Grand Master   -  195

  - Nemesis Force Weapon, Psycannon, Psychic Hood

Grey Knight Terminator Squad  -  254
  - 2 Terminators w/ Nemesis Force Weapons & Storm Bolters
  - 1 Terminator w/ Nemesis Force Weapon & Psy Cannon
  - 1 Brother Captain w/ Nemesis Force Weapon & Psy Cannon

Grey Knight Terminator Squad  -  254

  - 2 Terminators w/ Nemesis Force Weapons & Storm Bolters
  - 1 Terminator w/ Nemesis Force Weapon & Psy Cannon
  - 1 Brother Captain w/ Nemesis Force Weapon & Psy Cannon

Inquisitorial Stormtroopers  -  120
  - 2x Melta Guns, 3x Inquisitorial Stormtroopers w/ Hellguns

  - Rhino

Inquisitorial Stormtroopers  -  120
  - 2x Melta Guns, 3x Inquisitorial Stormtroopers w/ Hellguns
  - Rhino

Inquisitorial Stormtroopers  -  120
  - 2x Melta Guns, 3x Inquisitorial Stormtroopers w/ Hellguns
  - Rhino

Inquisitorial Stormtroopers  -  100
  - 5x Inquisitorial Storm Troopers
  - Rhino

Inquisitorial Stormtroopers  -  100
  - 5x Inquisitorial Storm Troopers
  - Rhino

Gray Knight Land Raider  -  268
  - Psycannon Bolts, Smoke Launchers, Extra Armor

Gray Knight Land Raider  -  268

  - Psycannon Bolts, Smoke Launchers, Extra Armor


You load the 2 Grand Masters in the Land Raiders each attached to a GKT squad. they are your hammers, you aim those at the nastiest thing that you can and go after it.

You have 2 unlimited range Hoods to keep your Psy defense up.

You also have 5 scoring units in armor. park the 2 cheap units behind cover near objectives to tank shock any infantry on it for a last chance grab.

Run your other 3 forward (you have a lot of anti-tank in this army with 3 squads of 2 shootable melta guns from rhinos plus 2 sets of 2 twin linked las cannons to take out some lighter armor.

Like I said, it's the best I can do. 44 models is not a lot, but you just have to play smart.

-Stephen

Pic Courtesy of Cursed Chaos on Deviant Art