Dragon's Lair 40k Tournament 1/1/11

So the first week of every month is when DL holds their 40k tournaments, this unfortunately meant the only one I've been able to get out to in months landed right on New Year's day. Surprisingly, 24 people showed up before they had to cap it. Didn't cramp my style too much as it had a late 1230 start. I didn't manage to grab my camera, but was able to find pics of all my opponents models on the internet. Ha! Here is the list I used. It was not run by the usual people, and the Round 1 pairings left everyone paired off in order of sign up. Unfortunately that left me and kings playing one another. We have played several hundred games against one another over the past twelve years (easily over 1000 if you include Specialist Games), so it is never an easy time. Let's dive in...

Game I v. Kings Mantis Warriors
5 objectives, Dawn of War

Kings Space Marine army consisted of Khan & Cassius in a Redeemer with Assault Terminators, 5 walking Tactical Terminators, a unit of Sternguard in a Razorback, a Scout squad in a Storm, and 2 Tactical squad in Rhinos with Missle Launchers, Plasmaguns, Powerfists, and combi-meltas. I got the first turn and Kings only deployed a single combat squad with missle launcher on an objective, he outflanked everything but the full Tactical squad, which was coming in with normal reserves, and the Land Raider full of badassnes, which arrived Turn 1. I deployed Menoloth (Mephiston) and an Assault Squad in a Rhino, but was able to get my whole army into mid board position by Turn 2. Turn 1 Mephiston lost a wound to 'Perils of the Warp', he would go on to lose three such wounds (all on double 6s') throughout the course of the game. My frag cannon 'Furioso' wiped out the deployed combat squad, and was in turn killed by the Assault Terminators on turn 2. Almost all the Mantis Warrior reserves came in turn 2, all exactly where they were wanted, everything but the Scouts in the Storm was on the side with my army, while they got to camp an objective all game. So turn 2 also saw me lose both my Rhinos, which would prove to be crucial later in the game, when my lack of remaining Mech hindered my objective contesting ability. We both only had 5 scoring models left at the end of the game, all on objectives, but Kings was able to use a Rhino (which had re-mobilized itself on turn 2) to contest my objective, and win 1-0. Minor loss to me. 8 points (1 bonus for killing the most expensive unit).

Game II v. Lux' Tyranids
Kill Points, Pitched Battle

Game 2 saw me matched up against fellow BoLS writer Lux, and his green/black Tyranid horde. He had a Tyrant w/ Venom Cannon, 2 units of three Hive Guard, a unit of 3 Lictors, a unit of Hormagaunts, ten Stealers with a Broodlord, ten Termagaunts with a Troop Tervigon, a Trygon, and a Trygon Prime. I got first in this game as well, and Lux went all reserves. The Trygons Deep Struck and he outflanked the Hormagaunts with Hive Commander. Again I was able to advance my whole army almost 3/4 of the way up the board. Everyone but the Lictors and the regular Trygon showed up turn 2. His Hive Guard immediately set to work and wrecked a transport as they came in. I killed the Prime with a volley of missles from my Devastators as soon as it arrived. Lux brought all his reserves into a tight refused flank on my left, where the Tervigon, Tyrant, and Hive Guard protected the weak Termagaunts on the board edge. When the other Trygon arrived Menoloth and Sanguinor charged and killed it. The Hormagaunts managed to kill one Dev squad before their Rage set in, and forced them to charge my Furioso. The Lictors finished off the other Devastator squad. A crucial failed charge with his Genestealers on Sanguinor allowed me to get a concentrated charge into his lines where Sanguinor killed the Tyrant, Menoloth killed the Tervigon, my small assault squad killed the Termagaunts, and the Sanguinary Guard won combat and cut down both Hive Guard units. That turn won me the game. Massacre for me. 21 points (bonus point for killing HQ).

Game III v. CrusherJoe's Ultramarines
5 Objectives, Spearhead

Game 3 I managed to pull up to table 3 and I was happy to see I was playing Crusher Joe. He has been out of the game for a while, and it was great to see him this high in the standings. He was fielding Lysander with some Tactical Terminators in a 'Godhammer', 5 Thunder Hammer Terminators in a 'Crusader', two Vindicators, and two Tactical squads in Heavy Bolter Razorbacks with Meltaguns, Multi-meltas, and Power Fists. The quarters set up left three objectives in one deployment zone, Joe got first turn, and obviously picked that quarter. That ended up being beneficial to me, as it left my favorite giant solid building in my deployment zone. I combat-squadded my big Assault squad, leaving 5 Marines on my lone backfield objective (which was behind the giant building), and Deep Struck my Sanguinary Guard. My frag Dread came down and killed a combat squad and remained locked in combat with another for the entire seven turn game (kudos to Ancient Viridian for effectively taking out half of Joe's scoring units single-handedly). My Devastators were able to neutralize the Vindicators early while Sanguinor and Menoloth killed Lysander, the Tactical Terminators, and the 'Godhammer' as they approached my lines. Crusher's only real mistake of the game I feel was not being more aggressive with his Assault Terminators. Their Land Raider didn't really move all game, and was then destroyed by an Assault squads Meltaguns. Though from that spot they were able to take out Mephiston, Sanguinor, and contest an objective (all late game) so I suppose it worked out. I had to pull some clever stuff to get the full points in this game, splitting my Sanguinary Priest off of his squad on the bottom of turn 7 to contest the one objective Joe held. Won 3-0 on objectives. 20 points.

So despite my loss game 1 my two Massacres were able to make up ground (a tie on table 2 helped) and I managed to pull off second place. Pretty sweet, hadn't placed at a local in a while...