Sunday, January 10, 2010

Lose, Win, Draw! - 2010 Cap City Carnage Funraiser Event

Current Record
W: 1 L: 1 D: 1

My results from the 2010 Capital City Carnage Fundraiser racked up one win, one loss and one draw. Overall I'm happy with my performance in the tournament. I played the following armies:

Loss against the Warriors of Chaos

My opponent's list revolved around a solid block of Chosen Chaos Warriors, a couple of units of fast cav, a unit of marauders, a giant and a unit of Chaos Knights. Some highlights and lessons learned:
First, always get the charge not getting the charge with my superior Bretonnian Warhorses is unacceptable. My lance of Grail Knights was shy just over 1/4" which cost the charge on the Chaos Knights sending a unit of Knights Errant in by themselves
Second never charge Chosen Warriors... ever (probably) but especially not those with a 3+ Ward Save, just take your time, don't get march blocked, and work the rest of the units.
Third Mark of Slanesh Giants get to attack first even if charged and remember that they can jump up and down up to 12 times. Even if you save seven you're still taking five wounds.
Fourth Remember your tournament special rules!!! Use those rules and keep the points needed to be kept!

Win against Ogre Kingdoms

I had the benefit of playing my opponent's list earlier, though really my win here came from two things Bretonnians do best, pass saves (both ward and armor) and capitalizing on a unit that flees from combat by running it down. Some highlights and lessons:
First: Brets should never be charged by Ogres, ever. 9/10 games against Ogres will end with Bretonnian victory against Ogres as long as the Brets get the charge!
Second: Try to force the Ogre Heroes and Lords into a more favorable challenge, too many Grail Knights were lost in 1v1 Combat.
Third: Don't be fooled by low strength no armor save magic, Humans are only toughness 3, strength 2 still wounds on fours. 2d6 wounding on fives is nasty with no armor saves is nasty against a lance of six knights.

Draw against Orcs and Goblins

How do you avoid the Bait and Flee tactic? Don't charge... just don't do it, show some restraint. Discretion is the better part of valor!
First: Bet against Bolt Throwers... especially those crewed by Goblins... always.
Second: Ignore fast cav with bows, they're nowhere near as nasty as Dark Riders. Let them shoot at you all day long, and wait for the right opportunity.
Third: Watch your overrun/pursuit lanes! A Giant charged the flank of the Grail Knights, it's a big flank! Don't leave it exposed.
Fourth: A good move against Fast Cav (for Brets, and maybe not Darkriders) is to move into their face on the first turn, then charge the second. Simple deployment calculation makes this a great tactic! From the 12" line cav moves 16" leaving 20" of space on the board. If the Fast Cav move behind you, move up the lines and around cover if possible (beware the rear charge), if they run from you then move up and keep them and another target in LOS. That way if they rally you might have a chance to charge them while continuing to be a threat to another new target.
Fifth: Play for a draw. Brets have the charge range to dictate combat. The only time I failed my charge was when I risked it a win in turn 2 is the same as a win in turn 6.


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

2010 - Capital City Carnage Fundraising Event

I should call this post my first tourney evar! So I've finally decided to join the tournament scene here in Austin, and will be playing this Sunday at BFG at the 2010 Capital City Carnage Fundraising Event. The list composition point cap is 2010 as opposed to the usual standard 2250. Participants will receive a free blister if they meet the 2010 limit exactly!

Here's my list, I'll be shooting it around to a couple 'experts' to see what they think, so expect a couple of changes:

LORDS: (294)
Bretonnian Lord – Grail Vow, Royal Pegasus, Holy Icon, The Grail Shield, Antlers of the Great Hunt, Lance (294)

HEROES: (464)
Paladin – BSB, Grail Vow, Virtue of Duty, Blade of Might, Banner of Chalons (148)
Paladin –Grail Vow, Royal Pegasus, Virtue of Heroism, Great Weapon (182)
Damsel - Dispell Scrollx2, Barded Warhorse (134)

CORE: (636)
Knights of the Realm x 5 - Musician (128)
Knights Errant x 6 – Champion, Musician (127)
Knights Errant x 6 – Champion, Musician (127)

Knights Errant x 6 – Champion, Musician (127)

Knights Errant x 6 – Champion, Musician (127)

SPECIAL: (230)
Pegasus Knights x 4 - Champion, Musician (230)

RARE: (386)
Grail Knights x 7 - Standard, Musician (296)

Trebuchet (90)

Total Points: 2,010 (of 2,010)


Not to expose my overall strategy, but I'm a big fan of Lords and Paladins on the Royal Pegasus mount. After being burned a couple of times by the spell Beast Cowers in the Lore of Beasts I decided to beef of the MR for the Lord with the Holy Icon. With the lord being Immune to Psychology, along with a 2+ Armor and 4+ Ward Save (against all attacks) this durable Bretonnian Lord is really only vulnerable to magic. The Holy Icon bestows a whopping MR3 to the character.

The Paladin BSB will join the Grail Knights to cut through whatever stands in their way as they ride to glory and take the field! His Virtue of Duty adds a further +1 to CR along with the BSB's +1CR and the Unit Standard's +1 CR. With a decent +3 to CR before combat begins the unit piles on 14 WS5 S6 attacks from the Grail Knights along with the 3 S5 attacks from the BSB Paladin (thanks to the Sword of Might). This unit serves as a great Hammer and an Anvil in a pinch (with 2+Armor saves for the knights and 3+Armor Save on the BSB, along with Blessing of the Lady Ward Saves all round). Last but not least the BSB carries the Banner of Chálons guaranteeing that no Knight will fall to any of the dishonorable Standing and Shooting practiced by less chivalrous armies!

The Paladin on a Royal Pegasus with a Grail Vow and Virtue of Heroism might be my favorite unit in the entire army. This Paladin's unique virtue allows him to use the Killing Blow rule against large targets! Steam Tanks, Hydras, Giants, Dragons beware! With his Grail Vow this knight knows no fear! Nothing like swooping in and popping Giant on the charge!

My last hero is the meek Damsel. She adds one dispell dice to my pool, with a high possibility of a second as she drinks from the Chalice of Mafleur. She also carries with her a dispel scroll. Unfortunately I don't have any damsel models... hopefully this won't be a problem for the tourney.

With a core retinue of impetuous Knights Errant and obligatory Knights of the Realm deployed MSU this army contains various long charging threats.

One question I have concerns the value of the Knights of the Realm over the Knights Errant and vice versa. The KOTR have LD8 versus the LD7 of the KE, and a WS of 4 over the KE's 3. However the strength of the KE is their special rule
Impetuous which gives the Knight's Errant Immunity to Psychology when charging (and for the duration of the turn in which they charged). Does an ITP unit still test on double ones when facing a fear causing enemy that outnumbers them?!? Long story short I always run with Knights Errant, they are 4 points cheaper/model and are guaranteed to launch themselves into combat. If anyone has any thoughts I would love to hear them.

Finally I have one unit of 4 Pegasus Knights. To be quite honest, if I had the models I would have two units of 3 Peg Knights as oppose to one unit of 4. The wallet is a bit tight these days though...

Oh and I can't forget the Trebuchet. It's 90 points, I'm not too terribly sad if I lose it and it mostly misfires, but sometimes it takes out a unit worth 300+ points... Dishonorable and undependable but what can you expect from something that was designed by and is operated by lowly peasants.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

The Ultimate Tool.


Yes, that's right it is a combination laser level and tape measure. The ultimate Warhammer Fantasy tool! Sure maybe this more for the dedicated 40k player, but nothing clears up a LOS argument like an ever accurate beam of light. To be clear this doesn't just point a laser dot at your target, it draws a laser line on the table! Sure this could be achieved by a regular laser leveler, but this one has a tape measure attached!! The above model can be found at http://www.opticsplanet.net/sonin-laser-level-tape-measure.html but great news. A knock off version can be found at your local target for a mere $5! Check in their redbox holiday item section! I bought one for my brother and ColdOne, and not for myself. A real shame now that I have these two cannons to gauge LOS with.

For Sigmar!!

Christmas brought me many gifts! One of those was an Empire Brigade box! On top of that my good friend Coldone picked me up a pack of Grail Knights which I have already primed and assembled! I'm now the proud owner of the following models:

The Empire
1x Empire General
2x Empire Captains
1x Warrior Priest
2x Great Cannons
1x Mortar
40x Swordsmen
15x Crossbowmen
5x Handgunners
8x Knights
5x Pistoliers

Bretonnia
1x Bretonnian Lord
1x Bretonnian BSB
1x Green Knight
5x Grail Knights
6x Knights of the Realm
24x Knights Errant
1x Field Trebuchet
30x Men at Arms
24x Peasant Bowmen
5x Pegasus Knights

So much work to do! So much to assemble, prime and paint. For Sigmar! For the Lady! etc. etc.