Dicehammer SoCal Age of Sigmar Grand Tournament: Tournament Prep

Next weekend, July 8 & 9, 2017, I will be attending the Dicehammer SoCal Age of Sigmar GT in sunny San Diego, California. This will be my first Age of Sigmar tournament since the game dropped! Can you believe it? My first Age of Sigmar event!

Update: Pre-West Coast GT

By now, the West Coast GT is over. But at the time I right this, I am finishing up the army as best I can before I head out. With that, here is the most recent update on the Ratkin army for Kings of War.

First up is the finished wall for the second unit of Clawshots to hide behind. This one is less of a mad scramble of shields and rocks, and more of an old dilapidated wall with fence that the rats are using to protect themselves from return fire. I like the piece, though I may do some touch ups in the future on the red bricks to make them a little bit more dark red with orange highlights so they stand out a bit more.

Base front

Base rear

The other base that I managed to finish completely is the first Blight horde base. With this unit, the Blight are moving through a destroyed ruins and the unit will be the one carrying the Potion of the Caterpillar (which allows the unit to move through difficult terrain). I didn't like the idea of just stone pillars and thought that the people that lived here before the rats took over would have used some pastel paint on the pillars to highlight certain features.

Full base

Closeup left side

Closeup right side and censer fumes (a feature added by the rats, of course)

Then, to put on the base, I finished the first test Blight model. Here he is prior to being put on the base, and after. I went with a ruined clothing look and with rusted blades because the Blight don't care about how nice their things are, so long as they can cause havoc.

Blight close up prior to rusting on swords

Back of clothing and tail

Finished Blight on base (with rust effects)

Similar focuse

Finally, I was working on several other bases that I was able to get started, but not entirely finished before the tournament. But you should be able to tell what they are going to look like once they are all finished up.

Weapon team bases with various stones and debris

The start of the tower base for the Shock Troop horde

West Coast GT 2016: Army List

As I have been saying for the past several posts, this weekend is the West Coast GT. I am busting out my Ratkin army for the weekend, and though I am still sure that I don't quite know what I am doing (as I only have gotten a few games under my belt), I am sure that this list will be fun to play as (1) it includes all the available rat models that are already painted and (2) included lots of fiery death (assuming I can roll a 4+ at some point throughout the game). This is what I am bringing, take a look and complaint about my choices in the comments if you so desire:

Units:
Blight Horde (225 pts) (Maccwar's Potion of the Caterpillar)
Blight Horde (205 pts)
Shock Troops Horde (250 pts) (Helm of Confidence)
Warriors Regiment (120 pts) (Diadem of Dragon-kind)
Warriors Regiment (120 pts) (Crepognon's Scrying Gem of Zellak)
Clawshots Troop (90 pts)
Clawshots Troop (90 pts)

War Engines:
Artillery (90 pts)
Artillery (90 pts)
Weapon Team (80 pts) (Storm of Lead)
Weapon Team (80 pts) (Storm of Lead)
Weapon Team (80 pts) (Storm of Lead)

Monsters:
Death Engine (210 pts) (Vile Sorcery)
Death Engine (210 pts) (Vile Sorcery)

Individuals:
Warlock (115 pts) (Scarletmaw's Fenulian Amulet)
Warlock (120 pts) (Myrddin's Amulet of the Fire-heart)
Enforcer (65 pts) (Inspiring Talisman)

Total Points: 2240 points

So the premise of this list, if it can be said to have a premise, is to shoot things and then clean up the remnants of my opponent's army with the horde units. The list packs 4 breath weapons, 2 lightning bolt characters, 2 shooting monsters, and 2 pieces of artillery. The hordes pack a punch and have decent Nerve to help them survive at least one round of combat. I know there isn't as much Inspiring in the army as most people like, and I am sure that in the future after having played more games I will be putting more Inspiring into the army. But right now I don't expect to get to far away from my shooting units with that character and I also don't expect to do much moving at all. I am sure the tournament scenarios will change all that, but this is the list I submitted and it's the list I am sticking with. Here's to the weekend!

West Coast GT 2016: Scenarios

The West Coast GT 2016 is only a little over a week away and this last weekend the Tournament Organizer released the scenarios for the tournament. Each round a different scenario will be played based upon the scenarios listed in the Kings of War rulebook with a little added California flare. Each scenario will be played on a standard 4' by 6' table and contain at least six (6) pieces of varying terrain - including buildings, impassible terrain, hills, and trees - all at predetermined heights which will help alleviate any in-game arguments.

For any scenario that uses victory points, the following chart will be used to determine the amount of battle points that each player gets during the game. This will grant the player a base score from four to sixteen points.

Difference in Victory Points	Victor’s Battle Points	Loser’s Battle Points
0-249 Draw	10	10
250-499 Narrow Win/Loss	11	9
500-749 Minor Win/Loss	12	8
750-999 Solid Win/Loss	13	7
1,000- 1,249 Strong Win/Loss	14	6
1,250-1,499 Major Win/Loss	15	5
1,500+ Crushing Win/Loss	16	4

For objective based games, the players will use the guidelines provided in the scenario. In addition to the battle points from the main scenario objective, each scenario offers four bonus objectives to be scored independently from the main one. 

Scenario 1: Mad Mickey - The Reboot

Scenario Description: 

Quarterly profits are down in the Magical Kingdom and Mickey is pissed! Overhead is high and Mickey is looking to downsize. What you may not know about this loveable mouse is that he often moonlights as a gypsy bare-knuckle boxing champion -- which makes him hit harder than a coffin nail. This is a co-op mission to take the mouse down before he dismantles your army! Use your enemy to distract Mickey while you hit him where it hurts!

Special Rules:
Deployment- At the start of the game, place the Mad Mickey model at the exact center of the table, facing the short table edge closest to the bar.

Mad Mickey- Mad Mickey has the following rules:

Move	Mele	Ranged	Attacks	Defense	Nerve
2d6*	4+	-	D6+5	5	-/20

Special Rules: Individual, Monster, Crushing Strength 2, Piercing 1, Thrown Weapons (18” range), Mickey cannot be Disrupted, when routed all units of either player within 2d6 inches take 2d6 Piercing 1 hits, Fireball (att)

Moving Mickey- At the start of each player turn, the active player chooses a direction and moves Mickey his full move value.  Any unit contacted by Mickey is considered to have been charged by him.

Shooting with Mickey- If Mickey is not in combat, then the player whose turn it is must select one unit within Mickey’s range to shoot at. With his fireball spell.

Victory: This mission is won by slaying the enemy, using Victory Points as per the Kill scenario.

Bonus Battle Points: Note that no bonus points are awarded to either player if Mickey is alive at the end of the game!

Mickey’s Revenge- +1 BP if you sustained any wounds from Mickey detonating when Routed.

Verminator- +1 BP if you inflicted the most wounds on Mickey during the course of the game.

Souvenirs- +1 BP if you routed Mickey.

Franchise Wars- +1 BP if your opponent’s most expensive model with Inspiring is slain.

Scenario 2: The Real Housewives of the OC

Scenario Description: 

Your jaunt through the ‘Magical Kingdom’ has taken a toll financially. Although you think that you and your mates are looking quite dashing in your newly acquired mouse ears, you are starting to learn that the expense was far too great. But you are in luck! Newport is right around the corner! There you quickly find a finely shaped Socialite with an axe to grind. Only problem is, your opponent found one too. Apparently these two socialites have been squaring off for years, so the cat fight is on! Welcome to the “Real” Orange County. where it hurts!

Special Rules:

Deployment- Deployment is as for the Pillage rules.  Prior to deployment, place counters in the table center and one in each corner 18 inches from each table edge.

Housewife Entourage- Prior to deployment, each player must select one Regiment or Horde to be the personal Entourage of their Housewife.  This unit must be placed at the center of your deployment zone and 12” from the rear table edge.  Place the Housewife model next to this unit to mark it. This unit gains the following special rules:

Her Ring is Bigger than Mine!- Each shooting phase, the Entourage may make a ranged attack at a single enemy unit with a magic item, within 18” and in line of sight.  This attack hits on a roll of 4+ on a single die.  If the enemy unit is hit, it loses its magic item for the remainder of the game.

Getting Ready Takes Time!- The Entourage reduces its movement value to 5, if it is faster.  The unit also gains the Fury (may always countercharge if wavered) and Vicious (reroll all to wound rolls of one) rules.

Victory: This mission is won by claiming objectives, per the Pillage Scenario. Each objective scored by a player is worth 250 VP, but if it is controlled by the Entourage it is instead worth 500VP. 

Bonus Battle Points:

The Bitch is Back - +1 BP if your Housewife Entourage routed at least one enemy unit during the game.

Family Heirloom- +1 BP if you successfully destroy one magic item with the Entourage special rule.  If your opponent began the game with no magic items, you score this automatically.

Divorce Court- +1 BP if you routed the enemy Housewife Entourage.

Location, Location, Location- +1 BP if your Entourage controls and objective in your opponent’s half of the board at the end of the game.

Scenario 3: Beach Bunny

Scenario Description: 

After a long night of partying and bowling you awake in a place that is unfamiliar to you.  You try to recall the events of the night before, but the details of last night’s debauchery are lost to you. Good news! Whatever happens at the West Coast GT, stays at the West Coast GT. Bad News! The beach bunny that accompanied you the night before has disappeared, with your phone and wallet, but has left you her address.  (She wasn’t very smart…)  You need to get your stuff back.  And don’t lose that address!

Special Rules:

Deployment- Deployment is as for Invasion.  Also, see Critical Information, below.

Critical Information- After Deployment but to any Vanguard moves, place one loot counter called “The Address” in control of one unit of each player’s choice.  This counter follows all the rules of those used in the Loot scenario, except that it may only be carried off the opponent’s board edge.  It may not be carried off of your own board edge.

Victory: This mission is won entering the opponent’s half of the table, as per the Invasion Scenario, except that units with the War Machine or Individual rule score half of their normal value. Further, if The Address is still in a player’s possession, that player scores 250 VP. If, instead, the counter has been successfully walked off of the opposing table edge, then the player scores the value of the unit for the Invasion and an additional 500 VP.

Bonus Battle Points:

Hot new contact- +1 BP if you control your opponent’s Address counter at the end of the game.

I like their crib better- +1 BP if you have at least one non-flying unit in the enemy deployment zone at the end of the game.

Hold Down the Fort! - +1 BP if you have one and only one unit remaining in your deployment zone at the end of the game.

Keeping it Real - +1 BP if there are no Flyers, War Machines, or Individuals in your deployment zone at the end of the game.


Scenario 4: Beach Blanket Bingo

Scenario Description: 

After three hard fought battles, you and your boys are looking for some rest and relaxation. After reviewing your maps, you are happy to learn that the California coast is very near. It is rumored that the most beautiful girls in the world call this land their home. Excited by this proposition, you and your boys double time it towards the Pacific! You reach the coast in time to find the beach completely packed and the best babe watching locations are quickly being taken over. You and your boys are going to have to move quick if you hope to find a spot on the sand. Pick a beach blanket and hold your spot on the beach!
Special Rules:

Deployment- Prior to deployment, place all three beach blankets along the center line, with one in the table center and the other two 18” on either side of it along the center line. 

The Linus Rule- After sides have been chosen, each player must secretly note one blanket as their favorite.  This is important, because this objective will have double the normal scoring value.

Rock the Casbah- Any unit that has its leader point on a blanket is considered to be inspired and replaces its waver value with “-“ if it is already not fearless.

Kicking Sand in the Face (or worse)!- Any unit attacking an enemy with its leader point on a blanket will increase its Crushing Strength value by one point, as they want the limited sun tan space.

Victory: This mission is won by controlling or contesting the beach blankets. Units with the War Machine, Individual, or Monster rule may not control or contest the blankets. Any other unit with its leader point on the blanket may control or contest it. If one player has the only leader point on the blanket, then they control it and score 400 Victory Points. If both players have leader points on the blanket, it is contested and they each score 200 Victory Points. Controlling or contesting your secretly chosen favorite blanked is worth double the normal points, so 800 for control and 400 for contesting.

Bonus Battle Points:

My Favorite Blanket- +1 BP if you end the game controlling or contesting your secret favorite blanket.

Surf’s Up - +1BP if you have two or more of your leader points on your secret blanket at game’s end.

Wipeout! - +1 BP if your opponent does not control or contest their own favorite blanket at game’s end.

Big Kahuna- +1 BP if you route an enemy unit that was controlling or contesting a blanket at any point during the game.

Scenario 5: Center Stage - Encore

Scenario Description: 

At last, you have made it to the Center Stage of the West Coast Gt. All of the West Coast podcast elite have showed up to bear witness to your epic climb to the top. It is time to give them the performance of a lifetime. Do not tremble or shake before the eyes of the Rock Gods. They only reward the strongest and bravest of warriors. You must walk out onto the Center Stage, show that you are worthy, and win the favor of the West Coast rock gods, before you are able to claim the West Coast GT trophy as your own. May the Gods be with you!

Special Rules:

Deployment- Mark the exact center of the table with the Center Stage Template.  Any unit with its leader point within the Center Stage template is considered to be Center Stage for this scenario’s scoring and special rules.

Invoke the Gods of the West Coast!- At the start of each player’s turn, that player may invoke the rock and roll powers of one of the Gods of the West Coast Stage.  Until their next turn, all units that are considered to be Center Stage are considered Inspired and will gain the benefits granted by their said patron.  If a unit leaves center stage for any reason (Surge or Wind Blast), it immediately loses any benefits.

Choose One: Friendly Center Stage Units are all affected by the corresponding effect-

Mystic Knights of Oingo Boingo: All of the units’ spells increase their dice value by two.

The Go-Gos:  All units gain the Nimble special rule.

The Offspring: All units gain Regeneration (5+) or increase their existing value by one.

Motley Crue: All units gain the Headstrong and Fury rules.

Poison: All units increase their Piercing and Crushing Strength values by one.

Red Hot Chili Peppers: All units gain Breath Weapon 6 or increase their existing value by five.

Victory: This game is won by having the greatest stage presence in the center stage. Add up the cost of each player’s units that would qualify as being Center Stage at the end of the game. This is each player’s score, exactly like the Dominate scenario.

Bonus Battle Points:

Pretty Fly for a White Guy- +1 BP if one of your lowest Rout value units is Center Stage at game’s end.  If tied, getting any unit with the lowest Rout value will score this bonus.

Dead Man’s Party- +1 BP if your opponent has no models with the Inspiring rule that count as being Center Stage at game’s end.

Every Rose has its Thorn- +1 BP if you routed the enemy unit with the most expensive cost.  If tied, killing one of the tied units will score this bonus.

Californication- +1 BP if you cause one or more wounds with a breath weapon during the game.

West Coast GT 2016: Tournament Rules

In just a few short weeks I will be attending my first Kings of War tournament: The West Coast GT 2016! The event will take place in Mission Viejo, California (Southern California) on September 10-11, 2016. In the tournament organizer's own words "the West Coast GT is an event that seeks to promote good sportsmanship, responsible gaming, dedicated hobbyists, and an overall good time."

The rules for this five-game tournament are fairly simple. All armies are 2,250 points and are built from the all available lists, including Twilight Kin. All Living Legends, including those in the "Destiny of Kings" expansion are allowed. However, allies are not allowed at the tournament which will eliminate those Orge shooting and Goblin shooting contingents that seem to pop up everywhere. Further, all the latest FAQs and errata are used, though the Clash of Kings comp pack is not!

Scenarios have not yet been posted, but when they are, I will give a run down of the scenarios.

Update: August 22, 2016

When we last left the Ratkin project, things were looking failry bleak with not much progress at all. I had just finished the first base for a unit of Clawshots and was playing around with both the Secret Weapon rust powder and the Games Workshop Oxide wash, which, when combined, makes for some pretty awesome rust effects. Here's how we were looking a few weeks ago.





























Since that time, I have been busy working on getting the Clawshots themselves done, and then working on several other bases for the larger units. First up is the Clawshots. Picture 1 is the unit in progress and picture 2 is the same finished guy from the other angle. I used the same oxide and rust effect on the gun, and I think it really makes the weapon look old, used, and not taken care of. Perfect for the rats.

Picture 1 - His good side.

Picture 2 - His other good side.

Picture 3 is the remaining Clawshots from my first run (those that I could easily see in the bitz box and were primed) waiting on some paint. I have about another 12 or so, and I am thinking of being able to do either 4 or 5 units of them in the future just for extremely large point games and to make the army look nice on the shelf. Pictures 4 and 5 are more work on the models that will go on the first base. I really like the fact that I don't need to stack tons of models down on the base to show off the units and can instead focus on spacing and basing to make the unit look cohesive and full.

Picture 3 - Four more guns!

Picture 4 - Starting on the blue robes after a quick all over wash.

Picture 5 - Working on highlighting the fur tones and beginning work on the guns.

Pictures 6 through 9 show the finished Clawshot unit ready for the table top. I might add another rat gunner eventually so that the unit looks a little more fleshed out, but three models is sufficient to meet tournament requirements, so that is where I will stop for now until I finish up everything else I have going on.

Picture 6 - Clawshots ready to go

Picture 7 - close up of the right side and the rat's rusted gun

Picture 8 - Rat butts.

Picture 9 - a view from the other side, rat toenails included free of charge

Other than the finished Clawshot unit, I have been working on the bases for several hordes and regiments which you can check out the progress below. These bases need to be finished up in the next several weeks before the West Coast GT in mid-September.

Horde base and another Clawshot base after priming and an initial brown basecoat

First level wash on the bases

Starting the basing highlights and beginning to work on the stone pieces

Starting the highlights on the stone pieces and picking out random detritus on the bases 

A few more regiment and horde bases waiting in the wings.

Next up is finishing the bases and doing a couple of test models for both the blight units, warrior units, and various weapon teams that will be used in the army. I hope to have a couple of test models done in the next week along with the horde and regiment bases so that I can use them at the West Coast GT so my opponents know exactly what each unit is. That beats having to stick unpainted, unprimed straight plastic models on the bases. But with only two and a half weeks before the tournament, we will see how much I am able to get done before then. Though I hope to completely finish the army before next year's tournament season.

Age of Sigmar: Tournament Comps (Part 1)

Age of Sigmar has been around for a few months and now there are several interesting tournament comps that have been developed by the burgeoning Age of Sigmar community. One of the more interesting army design rules that have developed is the Independent Pool System that I talked about last time.

This time, I want to take a look at how a couple of different tournaments that use the Independent Pool System re-work or modify some of the basic Age of Sigmar rules to make them more tournament balanced. Let's dig in.

Tournament Shout-Out: Fall 2015

With the last days of 8th edition before us, and the rise of other gaming systems vying to take the crown as the major grand tournament fantasy-based game, I wanted to give a quick shout-out to several upcoming tournaments.

Infernal Zoo - October 3-4, 2015 - Davis, CA
The Infernal Zoo is going to be held the 3rd and 4th of October in Davis, California. The tournament is a yearly monster-themed fantasy event run by Alex Harrison. This year, it looks like he is running more of a weekend gaming convention rather than a standard five-round tournament. His website has recently been updated with all of the tournament information, but these are the events that he will be running if you are interested:

Saturday -

• Warhammer 8th Edition 3-round tournament with End Times rules
• Age of Sigmar 5-round tournament

Sunday - 

• Age of Sigmar Championship (best 2 out of 3)
• Kings of War showcase
• Frost Grave showcase
• Painting and Modelling awards

Registration for both days is $30, while a single day (like just the 8th edition tournament) is only $20. Registration increases $10 if you register after September 10, 2015. If you have any questions or wish to participate, you can e-mail Alex directly at BizzaroHammer1@yahoo.com.

Northstar GT - October 17-18, 2015 - Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

The Northstar GT is going to be held the 17th and 18th of October at the Fantasy Flight Games Center in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. This is one of the largest tournaments in the Mid-west and will be the final 8th edition tournament for Northstar. This year, the tournament is straight 8th edition with all current errata and FAQs in effect (this includes 50% lords and heroes and the Lore of Undeath), but no End Times books, units, or army lists. It will be 5-rounds and all the rules are on the website. 

If you are interested in registering (as there are still spots available), you can register by e-mailing thenorthstargt@gmail.com. Registration for the tournament is $75 and payment information is also available on the website. If you are interested, I would suggest signing up quickly as this tournament has consistently sold out.

Quake City Rumble 2015: Army List

For the last major 8th Edition Warhammer tournament on the West Coast, the Quake City Rumble (or as it came to be known over the weekend, the Wake City Rumble), I wanted to play a truly interesting and hard-as-nails Wood Elf army (or at least as hard-as-nails Wood Elves can be in the current meta in an un-comped environment). My list for the tournament was a play on the no-drop army list that hit the internet when the Wood Elf book first came out. My list was made up of the following units:

Lords:

Spellweaver - (350 pts) (Level 4, Lore of Heavens, Dispel Scroll, Talisman of Preservation, and riding a Unicorn)

Heroes:

Glade Captain - (158 pts) (Battle Standard Bearer, Charmed Shield, Dragonbane Gem, Hail of Doom Arrow, Shield, Great Weapon, Starfire Shafts, Elven Steed)

Waystalker - (115 pts) (Bow of Loren, Ironcurse Icon)

Waystalker - (115 pts) (Ruby Ring of Ruin)

Waystalker - (90 pts)

Core:

Glade Riders - (140 pts) (5 models, full command, Hagbane Tips)

Glade Riders - (250 pts) (10 models, full command, Hagbane Tips)

Glade Riders - (250 pts) (10 models, full command, Hagbane Tips)

Special:

Deepwood Scouts - (190 pts) (10 models, full command, Hagbane Tips)

Deepwood Scouts - (190 pts) (10 models, full command, Hagbane Tips)

Deepwood Scouts - (224 pts) (12 models, full command, Starfire Shafts)

Rare:

Waywatchers - (210 pts) (10 models, champion)

Waywatchers - (210 pts) (10 models, champion)

The first thing that you might notice from this list is that there is only a single normal deployment drop: the two mounted characters. I was playing around with the no-drop list, but in an un-comped environment, I find that I need some magic offense and defense with Wood Elves and a Level 4 of High Magic on a Unicorn really fits that bill. With the 4+ ward save and Magic Resistance 2, it is really hard to kill the Level 4 and all the bonus tokens generated from High Magic also helps keep the Battle Standard Bearer alive throughout the game as the two characters can form a unit together that spends the first several turns hiding until enemy warmachines and shooting are removed from play. In fact, over the course of five games, I never lost either model.

The three Waystalkers are a lot of fun and are absolutely clutch to pick characters (especially low level wizards and 1+ armor save BSBs from large units of troops). The waywatchers help drop heavy armor. The mass amount of poisoned shots help take out monsters, chariots, and warmachines while the flaming attacks help take down regenerating units. The army is pretty straightforward in how it plays. The scouting units set up to take on the weakest flank or where they can score quick and easy points while not giving up their own points. Then the Glade Riders show up after my opponent's battle line has been pulled apart. 

I really wished I would have play tested this list before submitting it as I feel I could have performed better than I did, but the list itself is a very solid list and is frustrating for opponents to play against which is something I have always looked for after playing against so many all chariot, flying monster armies. 

West Coast GT 2015: Scenarios

This weekend is the West Coast GT 2015! A two-day battle of 70+ Warhammer Fantasy players. This year, all five games have updated scenarios. Let’s take a look at what I will be dealing with.

Hobby Room

This post, is a little late, but I was unable to update this blog after Waaagh!Paca 2015 as I was preparing for the 2015 U.S. Masters and up to my neck in work. With this little "i'm back" post, I thought I would take the opportunity to show everyone my Hobby Room/Office. As I'm sure you will notice from the following pictures, there are tons and tons of unpainted models and a lot of boxes just waiting to be open.

WaaaghPaca 2015: Painting Update

So Waaagh!Paca 2015 is on the horizon and I have my eyes set on finishing up a good portion of my Wood Elves army for the event (though I may lean Eternity King if I like how it plays). To that end, I have been painting (when time allows) and trying to finish up at least a few key units. Right now I am working on finishing three core units of Glade Guard and a Sisters of the Thorn bunker.

Waaagh!Paca 2015: Tournament Rules Overview

The next Warhammer tournament that I will be attending is Waaagh!Paca 2015. This event just gets bigger and better every year and I am really looking forward to three solid days of Warhammer and random shenanigans. This year, Waaagh!Paca will be the host of several different events including: a five-round tournament using 2,000 point armies; the annual mustache contest; hand crafted prizes; the “officially unofficial Friday night tournament;” annual raffle; and freezing cold temperatures.

West Coast Qualifier: Tournament Overview

The West Coast Qualifier is over and victors have been announced (see previous post). But, with this post I thought I would take the opportunity to better explain the qualifier. Next time I will describe the list that I brought to the three-game tournament and then I will provide a breakdown of my three games, along with my opponent’s army lists.

The qualifier was held on November 15, 2014 and Endgame in Oakland, CA. The rules were fairly straightforward and simple: 2500 points following the U.S. Master’s rules pack. The U.S. Master’s rule pack used Swedish Comp for army list design (we were using the October 2014 version) with a required comp band of eight (8) to fourteen (14). Any comp score above a fourteen would be reduced to a fourteen and any list with a score of less than eight was banned from the tournament. All games were standard Battleline deployment.

Swedish Comp is an interesting comp formula. If you haven’t heard of it, or played with it yet, I suggest you try. It is not an “end all, be all” composition system, and it allows for armies to still have some very nasty combinations. But the purpose is to provide a recognized level of power across all armies and allow players to design and play armies at similar strength levels. Although the system can be complicated at first, but this is the easiest way I can explain it. Every person begins list design with a score of 300 points before taking a single unit. Then you begin building your list, deducting a number of points from your starting total of 300 equal to what the unit costs. For example, a Level 4 mage might cost 28 points while a unit of core troops or a particular magic item costs 10 points. After your list is built, you then divide your total composition score by 10 (thus, if you finished score was 140 you would be a 14, but if your final score was 10 your list would comp a 1). In this manner you try and build a list that falls between an 8 (or 80) and a 14 (or 140).

The benefit of playing within a composition band, is that if players want to take particularly nasty combinations or play slightly harder lists, the “softer” lists are given a leg up in the game. For example, in the U.S. Master’s rules pack, the difference in composition scores relates to a pre-game victory points difference in favor of the softer list equal to 100 victory points per full point of composition difference. Thus, a 14 playing a 14 would not be entitled to any bonus points, but a 14 playing an 8 would start the game 600 points up before the game even begins. This type of victory point advantage can heavily influence the play style of the opponents for that particular game making one player play more conservatively or more aggressively than they would normally to overcome the points difference.

Winning at the U.S. Master’s (and thereby the West Coast qualified) is determined solely by victory points and the tournament uses the standard 20-nil system. This system provides battle points to each player based on the difference between the victory points both players earned. Both players start the game with 10 points each. For each 150 victory points a player beats another by, they gain 1 battle point and their opponent loses 1 battle point. So for example, beating someone by 500 victory points corresponds to a three point bonus for the winner for a total score of 13 and a three point loss of the lose for a total score of 7. A full 20 battle points requires a difference in victory points of over 1500.

This year, the following players came to the West Coast qualifier (also included is their army choice and final composition score):

• Austin Morgan - WoC - 13.5
• Dave Inman - Skaven - 10.6
• Ed Phillips - DoC - 11.3
• Fred Whitney - WE - 10.0
• Ivan Jen - O&G - 13.9
• Jacob Berry - WE - 12.6
• Jeremy Campbell - OK - 14.0
• Joseph Urban - Brets - 13.1
• Josh Fricke - DoC - 9.1
• Josh Stuart - DE - 12.2
• Justin Rusk - WE - 14.0
• Mike Hengl - O&G - 12.8
• Mike Sanders - OK - 11.5
• Mike Scaletti - WoC - 14.0
• Que Bohn - DoC - 14.0
• Zach Lopez - WoC - 14.0

An interesting fact drawn from above is that the most played armies were WoC and DoC (as they seem to comp fairly well in Swedish Comp) and I would expect this to be the same at U.S. Masters as well. Also of note is that the majority of players came in with “softer” composition scores and five players, myself included, had a 14.0. I am betting that this is more of a West Coast thing, and that most players at the Masters will be closer to the 10-11 bracket.

Broadside Bash 2014: Scenarios

This weekend is the Broadside Bash 2014 GT! A two-day battle of 40 Warhammer Fantasy players engaging in battle over five different scenarios. This is what I will be dealing with:

West Coast GT 2014: Scenarios

This weekend is the West Coast GT 2014! A two-day battle of 60 Warhammer Fantasy players. This year, all five games have updated scenarios. Let’s take a look at what I will be dealing with.

WaaaghPaca: Update #6

With WaaaghPaca descending upon us this weekend, I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the five scenarios that I (and 99 other players) will be playing.

Each round will use the Man of Intrigue model. The model may not be on a base larger than 50mm square and has the following rules:

• Unless specified in the scenario, the MOI is attached to a core unit.
• He has no stats and can't be attacked or otherwise interacted with.
• He is deployed at the same time the unit he is attached to is deployed and he doesn't have to deploy with the same unit each game.
• The MOI generates additional fortitude for your army equal to the rank bonus (to a maximum of +3) of the unit he is attached to. 

Now, on to the actual rounds, themselves.

WaaaghPaca: Update #5

This coming weekend is WaaaghPaca 2014! And man, if I am not excited about everything this tournament entails. Besides flying from the sunny West Coast all the way to the frozen northlands of Wisconsin, I will be playing against some of the most beautifully painted and converted armies in the country which will, in turn, be played by some of the nicest and most sportsmanlike Warhammer generals. It’s like being locked behind closed doors for six months of the year breeds great hobby talent and a general sunny disposition to offset the bleakness of tundra. For those who haven’t attended WaaaghPaca before, these are the rules.

WaaaghPaca: Update #4

So over the last week I have been able to put a little bit more time into painting. I know I need to hurry up, and this weekend I plan on really pushing through these warlocks and starting the remaining monsters. I also need to order an army name plate and start work on an army display board that I can fit in my luggage (as I am flying to Milwaukee and then driving to WaaaghPaca). So, I have a lot of things on my plate to finish off before the tournament and only about two and half more weeks to get it done. I am on track to finish the warlocks for sure, but am worried about getting the rest done. Hopefully, if all else fails, I can get some base colors and initial washes/highlights done on the other models to get the basic paint points for the tournament.

WaaaghPaca: Update #3

Right before Christmas I participated in the Battle for the Christmas Ham. A one-day, three round Warhammer tournament in Oakland, CA. The format for this year's Battle was 2000 point armies using the same rules as WaaghPaca, including the Man of Intrigue. This was great because I was going to be able to get three solid games in with my new list, figure out how I liked my magic item choices, and make necessary changes for WaaghPaca. I would also be able to throw my units around to see what kind of damage they could really do.