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.