Okay, epic fail may be a bit harsh. Last weekend, we all headed down to Tacticon for some hard fought battles for supremacy. I felt super good about my Eldar/Dark Eldar force, thought I would do decent with my X-Wing list, and was worried about my 1 preregistration Malifaux tournament. So, how did it all go down? Guess you will just have to read on...
Friday night started off with an X-Wing tournament. I had brought Darth Vader with Concussion Missile and Squad Leader, Soontir Fel with Swarm Tactics, Howl Runner, and Mauler Mithil. I still think its a good solid list, with the ability to unload at PS 9, and with a total points of 99 for initiative, followed by Howl Runner at PS 8. However, there is a flaw to my genius list. If you're to dumb to fly, it can't be used effectively. I was seriously crash heaven. The list needs to stay within 1 of all its parts to really work, but I managed to stay within 0 all night, with collision after collision. I also had trouble getting the focus fire off, since I couldn't get into position due to crashing. It was a terrible showing, I came in dead last out of 7. I did, however, get in three great games, and learned I need WAY more practice before I return. I also need to look harder at how some of the moves work, because what I thought should work didn't, such as hard turns to the left. Still don't know why that doesn't work, but I hope to find out.
After a few hours of sleep, it was on to Warhammer 40K with my epically awesome Eldar/Dark Eldar army and display board. Oh, the view when I walked in. I hadn't really ever thought I had a hope of best painted, my goal was Player's Choice. I have never seen that many really nice armies at a 40K event. The Fantasy event, maybe, but not likely. This was awesome! And humbling. I managed to make it to the final round for best painting, but I honestly felt offensive putting my army up with the other 6. And as for Player's Choice, it went to Liz easy. The rest of us just didn't have a chance. I have since decided I can paint a nice army, but I can't compete on that level. At least not and maintain any sanity. But enough about paint, on to the games.
Game one was versus a new Necron player. He had only been playing for about six months, and this was his first event. As such, I played this one more teaching, less hard core. I'm pretty sure I could have twenty nilled him, but didn't really want to. I still mostly held his troops in one corner, trying to keep his giant squad of necron warriors alive, flanked by two arks. In the end, he came in late and dropped some immortals out of the flier, shooting my windriders off an objective, and contested another. Giving us a draw on primary. I held the secondary, had my council in his zone, and had killed his warlord in an early combat with his wraith, singling him out in a challenge, getting warlord and first blood. A note on this game, Seer Councils make very good wraith bait, and definitely hold their own. It ended 15-5 to me.
Game two was versus a fellow Eldar/Dark Eldar player. We both had barons, but that's the end of that. He had Wraith wing, backed up by DE warriors and a Wraith Knight. He also ran Eldrad. I thought I was in trouble going in, Wraithguard are hard for me to take down, and I haven't really seen their new guns. It also started off a little rough, losing several models, failing conceals, or just flat out periling. I stuck into it, and managed to sneak in some late kill points, mostly on his softer targets, even taking his skyshield. I was surprised when he moved to contest, rather than going for the kills. My units were pretty mauled, and I was only ahead by one kill point. In the end, it ended in a 12 -10 win for me. This meant I had two wins and 27 points for my 30+ goal, and I was feeling good.
And then I drew the only Tyranid player there, and a guy who sometimes drops by the club. I need big points here, but just can't pull those versus 'Nids. Too many bodies. I did luck out and both his Tervigons broke first turn. However, instead of pressing my advantage and going after the gribblies first turn, I thought to make it a less grueling game, and go after the Hive Tyrants. That was a mistake, as it switched the grueling the other direction. I basically had nowhere to go, and his Gargoyles turned out to be faster that I had expected. In hind sight, I should have just killed his gargoyles, or even zoomed over them(annoying as hell for a 'Nid player with his Tyrants having to turn around), and played cagey jerk all game, taking pot shots at his weaker troops. As it was, I hope I got high sports instead of mediocre battle points. This game was a 20 nill lose for me.
So, overall, I finished 16 out of 34, which is my usual just above half. I enjoyed all of my games, though I will likely be running for a while. Painting was a bit of a disappointment, not in my army, but rather that I just don't feel the need to compete on that level, they are just too awesome. 5 or 6 Malifaux models, or even 20, and I am there, but 30+ Jetbikes all to that level, and I would explode in a shower of boredom. I just need variety. A good day, and after a little sleep(and another overly aggressive conversation with Tony about sportsman), Malifaux.
Malifaux is currently in a lull between editions, as such I was very short on player. I only had one guy I didn't bring with me. I still managed 5 + a ringer(not me), which is a good small tourney size. We had two Neverborn, an Arcanist, a Ten Thunders, an Outcast, and a Resser. Excepting Guild(still 1.5), a very wide showing. As a shocker, Troy took it all, with Patrick coming in second. Over the tournament of 9 games, we had 3 draws, 2 on the final round, which made points very close. Thanks to Total Escape Games(and a grab into my prize box) everyone walked home with something. On a sad note, I wasn't able to award best painted. While 40K is definitely raising the bar on painting, nobody save Gomer, who was using my models, had a fully painted crew. A very sad day indeed(not really).
Well, that was basically my Tacticon. A ton of great games, great people, great armies, and OK food. See you in Febuary!
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