Dragon's Lair 40K Tournament 3/5/11

So I made the time to go to the local 40K tournament this month with my Lamenters. I really wanted to get a chance to use my new Stormraven. I had to work late the night before so I only got a few hours of sleep, but that is usually when I do best. Tournament filled up fast, capped at twenty-four by 10:20. I used this 1850 list:
Menoloth, the Lost One (Mephiston)
Ancient Tyrus: Furioso w/ Blood Talons
Calix Abraxes: Sanguinary Priest w/ Combi-Flamer
Squad Rigio: 10*Assault Marines w/ Powerfist, 2*Meltaguns in Rhino
Squad Ignacio: 10*Assault Marines w/ Powerfist, 2*Meltaguns in Rhino
Squad Volare: 9*Assault Marines w/ Storm Shield, Flamer in Rhino
'Iconoclast' Baal Predator w/ Flamestorm Cannon
'Instigator' Baal Predator w/ Flamestorm Cannon
Squad Malaga 5*Devastators w/ 4*Missle Launchers
Squad Vigo 5*Devastators w/ 4*Missle Launchers
'Heaven Fall' Stormraven w/ Extra Armour

So it went down like this...

~The Purging of Tanis~
Game I v. Frank's Chaos Space Marines

3 Objectives (one in middle), Kill most expensive HQ

First round I drew Frank and his Chaos army. I have played against Frank in a lot of tournaments over the years, usually he plays his Ultramarines. His army had Abaddon with a Berserker unit in a Land Raider, a Lash Sorcerer, two Berserker squads in Rhinos, a Plague Marine squad in a Rhino, a Defiler, and a Vindicator. I got first turn and put both my Devastator squads in a piece of cover in one corner. Frank used a nice refused flank which pretty effectively took the Devastators out of the game. But that meant that they were covering the objective in his deployment zone, and I zoomed a Rhino over and parked on that objective. The other two Rhinos parked on the central objective in a big building. My Stormraven just zoomed up into his lines, using a building as cover, and its cargo started causing havoc, but was mostly just a huge distraction, managing to tie-up, destroy, or disable the Vindicator, a Berserker squad, the Defiler, another Berserker Rhino, and Abaddon and his Land Raider. My central squads managed to kill the one squad of Berserkers that challenged them. The Plague Marines contested my objective that I had claimed early, while the Stormraven contested the objective on my side which Abaddons Berserkers had run over to. I didn't kill Abaddon, but I got the primary win.

~The Loss of the Calvacade of Baal~
Game II v. Chris' Descent of Angels

Table Quarters, HQs claim middle, Kill Troops

So Chris had a nice Descent of Angels list with Sanguinor, Dante, Sanguinary Guard w/ Banner and two Infernus pistols, two Jump Pack Sanguinary Priest, a Jump Pack Chaplain, 2 ten man Assault Squads w/ 2*Meltaguns, Power Fist, and a Vanguard squad all with Power Weapons and Storm Shields, one with a Power Fist. I held back everything but my Devastators. He had first turn and nothing from either of out armies came in turn 2. Turn 3 everything came in. He landed Dante with the Guard (and Priest) and the Vanguard to attack the Devastators. The Vanguard charged and killed one of the missle squads. He landed his big squads and Sanguinor farther back. When my reserves came in Menoloth and the Furioso killed Dante and the Guard while my Assault squads killed the Vanguard. Then Menoloth and the Furioso got one his squads that advanced towards my lines (along with a Chaplain and Priest). He held Sanguinor in the middle of the board to claim the bonus point. I contested the quarter he had with his remaining squad and claimed another two. Primary win to me.

~The Fortuna Retaliation~
Game III v. Chris' Dark Eldar
5 Objectives, Kill Points

Chris and I have played a lot of games between these two armies recently and they have all been bloody and close affairs. This game was somewhat different, almost entirely due to Chris' horrible rolls, which turned it into a very lopsided loss. I won't break it down completely but I'll give you a few examples so you understand. He didn't pass one flickerfield save all game. Vect got insta-killed by a Flamestorm cannon when he tried to save a Bloodbride with his Shadowfield. He got one three inch difficult terrain which prevented a key charge and another which made a Wyche squad unable to embark in a Raider. By the time my Stormraven (with over 500 of my points in it total) arrived Turn 3, he only had 3 units left (one of which was the squad who failed to embark, who promptly got charged by Menoloth and Ancient Tyrus). Full point to me.

With the other two players who got three wins not getting full painting points it left me in 1st, hadn't done that in a while.

List analysis: I like what the Stormraven does. The way I used it in this list it was effectively a force multiplier for Mephiston because it meant he couldn't be engaged at range. With the rest of my army just being support (scoring and mobility) and the big bird being such a distraction it really had a nice balance to it. This list doing well makes me question making the list with the second Stormraven (and Sanguinor in it), as it just doesn't have near the amount of support.