Tournament Round-Up 26

New warbands, new tournament reports.

After a short break I’m back doing tournaments again! Just this weekend past I was lucky enough to play at 2 awesome events back-to-back. With the new warbands and cards available, it was going to be an exciting experience!

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Saturday

My first tournament was at the Games Shop Aldershot. I had been attending tournaments here for nearly a year now but always fell short of getting glass. This time things would be different however. I had my sights set on the prize and my weapons were primed with Aethergold. This time I’d be setting forth with my Thundrik’s Profiteers!

Now I’ll be upfront here. This is my Grand Clash warband which I’ll be taking to the Warhammer Fest Grand Clash this coming Saturday. I’ve waited so long for these Duardin that you can’t even imagine! Longtime readers will know I’ve done this in the past with my Spiteclaw’s Swarm. While I’m always up for sharing tips, tactics and tech, I have to leave some surprises in store for my opponents 😉

As my painted warband deployed, I got ready for battle. The lines were drawn. 20 players. 5 rounds. Only 1 victor would emerge. I was ready. This was prime Grand Clash practice and a chance to prove the might of the Profiteers.

Captain’s Combat Log:

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Round 1

First up was Mouse and his Thorns. It was nice to see a friendly face again but he is a strong player which meant my Profiteers would not have an easy go of it. Rolling for boards, I lost and placed the Arcane Nexus while Mouse set the Shattered Refractor in diagonal configuration.

Going first, Lund fired a shot off at a Chainrasp to score What Armour? and then getting promoted as a result. The Ever-Hanged charged in but failed to roll any smashes. Ironhail laid down supporting fire as a result, driving back the ghost to score Get Thee Hence and Headshot, which meant he was promoted as well as Drakkskewer. The Queen charged Lund but missed then reacted with Endless Malice to score treacherous foe but I rolled a crit (COPYRIGHT). Lund then charged the wounded Chainrasp to move away from the lethal hex. 2 smashes meant the ghost was blown away and I scored Death From Afar.

Winning priority I went first with my now fully promoted warband. Ironhail with Fighter’s Ferocity and Rapid Reload attacked the Briar Queen. 2 crits and a fury meant she took 2 damage. He reacted again and mowed her down under a hail of crits. The Ever-Hanged charged Lund and brought him down to 2 wounds with 2 smashes. Not to leave a brother alone, Drakkskewer charged the ghost. A single smash and no successful defence roll meant the Chainrasp wad swiftly vanquished. A Chainrasp with Shadeglass Sword used Hidden Paths to appear next to Alensen but I managed to get him out of the way thanks to my own ploys. Ironhail finished off the phase by shooting a Chainrasp but missing. Mouse then used Varclav to get 3 objectives, securing Our Only Way Out and Keep Them Guessing.

Phase 3 went rather quickly. I was able to kill 2 more Chainrasps and deny a potential Supremacy. DrakkSkewer took a charge from the Chainrasp with the Shadeglass Sword and was unfortunately killed due to crits and Great Strength. Still I was able to secure a 18/10 win.

Winning boards this time, Mouse went with the Animus Forge while I stuck with the Arcane Nexus.

Shooting first, Lund once again blasted a Chainrasp for 1 damage to score What Armour and promoting Drakkskewer. Playing Inspiration Strikes, the Queen charged Drakkskewer. She rolled a single fury but that was useless against Duardin steel thanks to my block. With Endless Malice she attacked again but missed. Drakkskewer then was equipped with Gloryseeker and impaled her ghostly form upon his mighty Skypike for 4 damage, scoring Seeking Advancement. Shots filled the air as I wounded more Chainrasps but was unable to stop a Supremacy.

Inspired Lund started phase 2 by blasting apart the Ever-Hanged with 2 crits and scoring Headshot! BOOM. A Chainrasp charged Lund and did 2 damage to him via a crit. I played Seek the Skyvessel, heroically moving Alensen through a lethal hex to score Calculated Risk and promote Ironhail while moving Lund away. Ironhail charged in. 4 fury meant the ghost was knocked away to score Get Thee Hence while also promoting Alensen. The phase was closed out by a sneaky Chainrasp teleporting next to Lund via Sudden Appearance and killing him with the Shadeglass sword.

With most of my objectives scored, Thundrik decided it was time to go to work with his Tome of Offerings, Archer’s Focus and Duellist’s Speed. Winning priority I shot the Chainrasp that killed Lund. 2 smashes meant it died scoring 3 glory with Death from Afar, then I pushed Thundrik in range of Varclav and Chainrasps. Varclav moved away so Thundrik shot another Chainrasp with a crit and a smash to get 2 glory. He closed off the phase by atomising another ghost to put me on a 22/15 win.

Round 2

Cursebreakers would be next against a regular opponent; Paul. Winning boards he placed the Cursed Oubliette while I set the Arcane Nexus in diagonal configuration.

Surprisingly winning priority, I went first. Lund shot Ammis, scoring What Armour? and getting himself promoted. Not pushing Ammis back, she then charged with her 3 fury attack and rolled a fury with a crit. Paul tried casting Sphere of Aqshy with her but failed. He then plaued Irresistable Prize and pulled Ironhail through a lethal hex while grouping Thundrik and Lund too. I used Seek the Skyvessel to move Lund and Thundrik apart. Cry of Thunder Failed to cast so he played Shardgale to mill Ironhail. I equipped Lund with Glory Seeker and shot Ammis point-blank. With a crit and a smash she was dead which scored me Seeking Advancement. I then gave him Archer’s Focus and played Ready for Action. With a crit and a smash, Rastus died and I scored Death From Afar and Headshot.

Winning priority I attacked Stormsire. A single smash was all that was needed to wipe out the Stormcast. The rest of the game was spent cycling cards and I had won 17/9.

Losing boards in game 2, we kept them the same but now set wide.

Abusing a deployment miscalculation, deployed Drakkskewer in range and attacked after somehow winning priority! Sadly I failed to roll any smashes. Stormsire then cast Sphere of Aqshy and did 1 damage to Drakkskewer. Ammis charged in rolling 1 fury and 2 crits to score Advancing Strike, Strong Start and Measured Strike. Alensen moved through a lethal hex and scored Calculated Risk but was then pulled in via Irresistible Prize. Before Cry of Thunder could be played, I spaced out my fighters. It was cast and Ironhail was killed due to being pulled through a lethal hex first. Promoted Lund was at least able to kill Ammis thanks to Ready for Action.

Action phase 2 didn’t fare much better. Paul won priority and blasted apart Lund with a powered-up Fulmination. Thundrik held back then moved up into position for phase 3. I won priority and killed a weakened Rastus with Thundrik but was unable to kill Stormsire. The game ended 12/16 to Paul.

Winning boards, they were kept the same and I aligned it in diagonal configuration.

Going first, Paul charged I’m with Ammis but her attack was successfully defended. Lund successfully shot her with a single smash to score What Armour? Rastus then Empowered. Promoted Ironhail charged in, with 4 dice and a support, Ammis took multiple damage and was driven back to score Get Thee Hence. Promoted Drakkskewer closed the round by charging Rastus and knocking him down to 1 wound.

Phase 2 had Rastus charge Drakkskewer. A smash and crit brought him down to 2 wounds then he took an Abasoth’s Withering and Sphere of Aqshy to die which triggered multiple objectives for Paul. I used Seek the Skyvessel to move Alensen through a lethal hex and score Calculated Risk while moving Lund into position. He then proceeded to shoot and kill Ammis with a smash and a crit. Using Ready for Action, he blasted Stormsire down to 2 wounds. Stormsire attacked back with Gloryseeker and Tempest’s Might, smiting Lund away. Iornhail charged in but missed and then Stormsire blew him away too. Thundrik then charged into position but missed.

Going first, Thundrik killed Rastus and got a boosted glory thanks to Tome of Offerings. I used Duellist’s Speed to push him out of Stormsire’s range. We both then started drawing cards after I put him on Guard. Gambling with my last activation I charged forwards. 2 smash with cleave cut through Stormsire and got me 3 glory. We tied on glory at 16/16 but I won due to tiebreakers by having wiped out the Cursebreakers!

Round 3

Ylthari’s Guardians would be my third opponent, played by Henry. Losing boards I placed the Arcane Nexus while he set the Cursed Oubliette wide.

Being allowed to go first, I started off by shooting Ahnslaine. 2 smashes meant she took a damage and I drove her back while promoting Lund. Ahnslaine charged but missed so I attacked back with Lund. A smash and a crit meant she died to score me Death from Afar so I promoted Drakkskewer. Gallanghan charged Drakksekewer, 2 smashes drove him down to 2 wounds. I gave him Gloryseeker and Drakkskewer charged back. A smash and a crit had the Tree Revenant impaled upon the Duardin’s Skypike to score me Seeking Advancement. Ylthari’s charged through a lethal hex at Lund but rolled double channel although did score Calculated Risk. She then Leech Power to burn objective 4 scoring Scorched Earth.

I won priority for Action Phase 2 and charged Lund into Ylthari. 2 smashes did 2 damage then I pushed her into the lethal hex and she died. Skhathael charged Lund, 2 crits doing 3 damage to Lund. Drakkskewer charged back in return with a smash and a crit which killed the last Sylvaneth. We spent the rest of the game cycling cards and I won 17/5.

Winning the roll-off boards remained the same but I set them diagonal.

Gallanghan charged Lund, doing 2 damage. Lund shot back to score What Armour so I promoted Ironhail. Ahnslaine charged Lund but my block countered her smash. Drakkskewer then charged Gallanghan and successfully did 2 damage to him. Ylthari charged into Lund but once again I rolled a block to her focus. Ironhail charged in with 4 dice and Rapid Reload. 2 crits and a fury meant Gallanghan died to score me Headshot and Death from Afar.

Phase 2 had me win and charge Ylthari with Drakkskewer who impaled her with 2 smashes. Ahnslaine charged Lund but failed to hit although did score Calculated Risk. Lund shot back with Archer’s Focus for a crit to kill her once again. Skhathael charged Lund and killed him. Ironhail then returned the charge but only did 1 damage.

Phase 3 had Drakkskewer charge again. A single smash got thorough and killed Skhathael. We spent the rest of the game cycling cards and I won 17/2.

Round 4

It was the final. Out of 20 players only me and David Smee were undefeated. You might have heard of him, he’s the self-proclaimed world’s best Eyes of the Nine player and the blog’s official statistician. We hadn’t played each other for a while but David was running at full power with Ylthari’s Guardians having not dropped a game all day.

I won boards and set the Arcane Nexus in diagonal configuration to his Cursed Oubliette.

Phase 1 went well until I completely made a mistake and moved with Ironhail. Thundrik had to now charge to get me an objective but then his attack missed too. David rightly capitalised on this and murdered the exposed Thundrik. I score an objective but now has no one to promote.

Phase 2 had me kill an overzealous Gallanghan but he rolled so many defensive crtis that now my warband was severely weakened. Phase 3 had Ylthari charge in and basically wipe out my warbad. Pangs of the Great Lack killed Ironhail, her attack and Ready for Action killed Lund then Drakkskewer. Finally Sphere of Aqshy killed Alensen so I lost 2/16.

Game 2 had me lose the roll-off but boards remained the same.

I started off by putting Drakkskewer on guard and David did the same. I charged Gallanghan and rolled 2 fury but he rolled a crit to do 1 damage to me but I scored Change of Tactics. Gallanghan swung back but missed. Lund charged in. 2 smashes allowed his shot to cleave through his defences and score me What Armour? Gallanghan charged and killed Drakkskewer. Inspired Thundrik charged into Gallanghan and rolled a smash but was crit’d back for 1 damage. I then played Archer’s Focus and Ready for Action, attacking again only to be crit’d back for 1 more damage.

Phase 2 had me win priority so Thundrik shot again. This time I rolled a smash and a crit doing 2 damage to score Seeking Advancement and Death from Afar. Ylthari ran through a lethal hex to score Calculated Risk and attacked Lund. She rolled a crit and a focus thus doing 1 damage to Lund while also inspiring and healing herself.

Phase 3 had inspired Ironhail charge Ylthari. I did 1 damage with a crit to drive her thorough a lethal hex and score Headshot with Get Thee Hence. I then used Rapid Reload to kill her with 3 crits. Skhathael charged Ironhail but I reacted with Stand and Shot. He took 1 damage then missed with the attack. Thundrik then blasted the Sylvneath warrior to death. Ahnslaine sat back and I had managed to catch up on glory to make things 16/16. I won on tie breakers by using Seek the Sykvessel to put Ironhail and Anlseen on objectives.

Game 3 had me win boards so I set it long!

Action phase 1 was a tense affair as we both slowly moved up. Drakkekewer charged after being on guard and did 2 damage to Ahnslaine. He got promoted by scoring Change of Tactics. Ahnslaine healed 1 via Healing Potion and inspired. Skhathael charged Drakkskewer but missed. He was adjacent to a lethal hex so played Toxic Gases. David chose to take 1 damage then I played distraction to push him into the lethal hex. Lund charged and rolled a crit. Skhathael died scoring me What Armour? and Death from Afar.

Winning priority, Drakkskewer with Potion of Rage charged Ylthari. 3 smashes and crit meant she took 3 damage and died. Gallanghan smacked him back for 2 damage but it was too late. Lund charged in with Archer’s Focus and did 2 damage to Gallanghan but I took 1 wound in return due to him rolling a crit. I then played Ready for Action and rolled 2 crits to finish him off and score Seeking Advancement.

Phase 3 had Ahnslaine run away. Ironhail appeared behind her and rolled 2 crits. She was driven back to Thundrik scoring me Headshot and Get Thee Hence. She shot Thundrik but I rolled a crit then I shot back with 2 smashes and killing her. The game ended 19/13 and I had managed to pull of a super hard win with a total round glory differential of -10!

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We were due to play a 5th round bit everyone agreed as I was the only winner left that there was no point going on. Thus I had won!

I had done it! I was honestly impressed with myself as I’ve only had about 6 games with them prior to the tournament and was able to beat very tough opponents. It was also perfect Grand Clash practice too! A little more refinement and I’ll be on top form. True thanks goes to the awesome players who all turned up and the TO for running a great event. I highly recommend checking out the Game Shop Aldershot for all your gaming and shopping needs.

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Sunday

Sunday saw me going for the double at Wayland Games in Hockley. There were 14 players and I should have used my Profiteers but I still want to win with every warband so went against my better judgement and busted out Tyne Godsworn Hunt!

Decklist

Playstyle: Aggro

I went for a really fast scoring aggro deck. Plan was to tool up multiple fighters and wreck face while churning through my objective deck. I had multiple damage cards from combat to magic so that I had a broad range to pump out the hurt.

The reason the power deck is 21 cards was my idea after having a chat with Tom from Steel City. He told me how Godsworn hate discarding an upgrade-heavy starting hand as you lose 5 ways to inspire your fighters. Off of that I decided to run 11 upgrades with 10 gambits.

Round 1

Game 1 had me play against Paul from yesterday. His Cursebreakers were not what I wanted to play against.

It started evenly with us both churning through our objective decks but Paul got Tome of Offerings on by Action Phase 2. The game ended 16/17 to Paul despite me having score all my objectives.

Game 2 didn’t start as well for me. The Cursebreakers got going early and quickly took a lead that I couldn’t keep up with. Shardgale and Cry of Thunder meant I lost most of my warband early and despite me trying to claw it back the game ended 12/19.

Round 2

My good friend Tom was next. Once again fate deemed it necessary for us to play each other. He was running Ylthari’s Guardians this time.

Game 1 had the Guardians take an early lead. Gallanghan and Skhathael made quick work of my fighters. Anyone they didn’t kill was finished off by Pangs of the Great Lack or Some of Aqshy. I managed to get a few kills and the game ended 14/19 to Tom.

Game 2 had the Godsworn go into overdrive. Early Spoils of Battle had movement 6 Grundann charge for Cover Ground and kill Skhatahel. This started a chain reaction of murder as the Chaos marauders began to cleave through the Sylvaneth. By the end of the game they were dead and I had won 21/11.

After the power of game 2, the final match did not go well. Tom got momentum going and murdered his way through my Godsworn. I tried fighting back but had lost too many of my good fighters early. I managed to get a single kill but was mostly wiped out. The game ended 6/15 to the Guardians.

Round 3

Finally I’d face Rob with his Magore’s Fiends. Last time we played his Fiends tore through my Reavers.

Losing boards was not a good start. The Fiends began pushing and by the end of phase 1 most of my warband was dead. I tried fighting on but by the end of phase 2 I was wiped out. The game ended 7/21.

Game 2 had me win boards so I chose a more advantageous setup. I was able to starve the Fiends and slowly pick them apart 1 by 1. The slow and steady grind kept me ahead and by the end of the game I had wiped out the Khorne warriors to win 14/5.

Game 3 had me lose boards. Now against the full aggro Amber Catacomb board again I tried to survive the phase 1 charge. It did not go well. Once again I lost most of my good fights early. I tired clawing it back but the Fiends were too far ahead. The game ended on a 13/18 loss.

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Overall I finished 13th of 14 with my worst event record since I started playing Warhammer (never gone to a tournament and lost every game). It was quite surreal. I scored pretty much all my objectives in most games and still lost! There was nothing wrong I did really, just died too quickly. Have to go back to the drawing board again.

As for event, all my opponents were great fun to play against and Wayland Games was awesome as ever. If you’ve never been, I’d highly recommend going.

My next event will be this Saturday at Warhammer Fest for their Grand Clash. If you’re going to the Fest, feel free to say hi! I’ll be the guy rolling all the crits 😉