Time for the final game of the tournament! In my vicinity there were multiple favourable lists, some downright horrible lists and some playable. I was paired against a Kairos variant, which I consider to be somewhere between playable and horrible, depending largely on the early turns and winds of magic in particular. I had a practice game on Friday evening against a carbon copy of this list, which it just so happened that Luke was around to see unfold. In that game, my opponent placed all characters in the Warriors which were subsequently charged by Imrik + Cloak, eventually all dying, which I think is a losing strategy here because of 2 things: 1. Your opportunity to cast Final Transmutation and/or other horrible spells from Kairos is gone T2, basically. 2. By not spreading out and using the mobility from the discs + daemonic mounts you are not putting pressure on the HOTEK player apart from magic. A lord on disc is a disaster for the bus if he can get a combo-charge with anything else that includes a challenger, basically. Anyway, Luke knew well how to play this matchup and it was an intense match from before terrain was done until the bottom of T6. Game on!
.::. Battle Report - Sheffield Slaughter #6 vs Legions of Chaos (Luke Morton) .::.
Points Before the Game: 69/80
Lists:
Imrik, Crown Prince of Caledor: 810
Archmage on Elven Steed: Level 4, Lore of Metal, Dispel Scroll, 265
Noble on Barded Elven Steed: Battle Standard Bearer, Banner of the World Dragon, Spear, Shield, Heavy Armour, 168
Noble on Barded Elven Steed: Heavy Armour, Enchanted Shield, Spear, Crown of Command, 131
Master on Dark Pegasus: Cloak of Twilight, Lance, Heavy Armour, Shield, Sea Dragon Cloak, 188
16 Silver Helms: Full Command Group, Shields, 398
10 Glade Guards: Hagbane Tips, Musician, 160
5 Deepwood Scouts: Hagbane Tips, 80
Army Total: 2200
Chaos Lord ( General) - Mark of Tzeentch, Halberd, SpellShield, Talisman of Preservation, Crown of Command, Scaly Skin, Soul Feeder, Third Eye of tzeentch, Disc of tzeentch - 398
Kairos Fateweaver - 565
Bray Shaman - Death, Mark of Tzeentch, Shard of Herdstone - 135
Bray Shaman - Beasts, Mark of Tzeentch, Dispel Scroll - 110
Exalted Hero - BSB, Mark of Tzeentch, Halberd, Shield, Armour of destiny, Daemonic Mount, Barding - 254
Exalted hero - Mark of Tzeentch, Great Weapon, Dragonhelm, talisman of Endurance, iron Curse, Daemonic mount, Barding -221
10 Pink horrors of Tzeentch - Standard Bearer, Musician - 150
23 Chaos Warriors - Full Command, Mark of Tzeentch, Sheild, Blasted Standard - 446
Chaos Chariot - Mark of Tzeentch - 120
Total - 2399
Pre-battle thoughts and deployment:
I deployed terrain as close to the table edge as I could, making sure to have the minimum 6" between it as much as possible, especially in the corner as I didn't want Luke's Warriors to band up here with a herdstone in front in a sensible formation. The LoS, apart from this, was largely open which is a good thing for me as Kairos can rain death upon me regardless and an open field benefits my zoning: The bus locking stuff down with challenges and stubborn/steadfast is disastrous since Imrik is always looming nearby, ready to counter fairly quickly. Luke picked Flesh, Throne, Speed of Light, (can't remember last for this head), Amber Spear, Transformation of Kadon, Withering and Enfeebling. I got Plague, Robes, Blades, Final Transmutation.
I put the bus down centrally with the intention to zone out the middle with both flyers on my right flank, opposite his Herdstone. His Warriors went behind the Herdstone with the BSB while the rest of the army spread out: Characters alone in the middle and Horrors + Chariot on the opposite flank. I spent the Scouts to deny Kairos a potentially sweet spot T1 in case I lost the roll-off while the Glade Guard were positioned between the bus and flyers in anticipation of him moving around here.
Luke doing his "UK Top Ranked pose" on demand!
With +1, I went first.
:: Early Game ::
The first thing that happened after deployment was a rather discussion about the Warriors: Luke said he'd placed them facing towards the table flank but every single model was facing directly ahead. He said he'd told me prior to the game starting but I had no recollection of this. Since I'd gotten to know him over the weekend I let it pass since I had no reason to believe he was lying (from my impression this is not something he'd likely lie about to win), but if I had not known him I would never have accepted this seeing as the unit was in fact even in an illegal formation (1 guy at the "rear" rank, aka "flank" file). The problem with this facing was that I had to move the Cloakpeg to a position where he could charge me with the BSB if I wanted to threaten the block with a combo-charge (which is pretty much essential so Imrik doesn't get stuck and all hell breaks loose). I thought for a long while because this would mean my Cloak Peg would have to run if charged, automatically giving up 188 VPs. In the end though, the Cloak Peg is negligible here, he cannot zone any of his characters save for Kairos who is flying anyways and the Warriors would likely sit in the house all game. It was a necessary sacrifice to ensure the demise of his BSB and I took a long time to ensure that said BSB had no-where to escape Imrik.
Meanwhile the bus reformed to a Bretonnia lance formation. This is a good position to know for stubborn busses: It allows for reforms in many directions and gaining/losing inches as you need while threatening a big part of the table.
Magic saw Plague of Rust land on his Lord. Final Trans was stopped. Kairos warded Hagbane shots.
Luke's response was swift and aggressive: Kairos moved to 24" away from Imrik, BSB charged Cloak who ran off the board and left the Exalted stranded alone in Imrik's path, Lord on disc moved to flank the bus and the Daemonic Hero moved up in anticipation of being needed. The chariot started its long move as well. Warriors with bray shamans into the house.
Magic came up box cars. Luke wanted to summon Plaguebearers but only had Horror models. I said it was fine and he placed them next to my bus, asking me: "Your bus has to move straight forward now, right?" to which I replied "Yes, as you are 1" away so I cannot wheel". He then cast Amber Spear with IF on Imrik, taking 6W. Oh my. The miscast did nothing but drain his dice.
The dice along my bus are the Plaguebearers, yet to be deployed as models.
In my turn 2, I sent Imrik into the BSB who elected to hold. Glade Guard charged his over-zealous Lord, hoping to pin him in place until Imrik could arrive. I then declared a swift reform on the bus, which Luke objected to because his Plaguebearers were 1" away. I was confused at first and he reminded me that I'd agreed they could only move ahead. In truth I had, but that was under the premise that I wanted to move instead of making a reform. We then had a long discussion, involving the main judge as well, as to how a reform is technically done. I find this a common misconception: Many people believe that a reform is technically a pivot, after which you move each model individually. A reform is technically a "teleportation move" where you basically remove all the models from the table and then re-arrange them as you please: Making sure the center of the unit is the same and no model has moved over 2". This distinction is very important and the rulebook is quite clear on this. I apologized for the misunderstanding since I had agreed to Luke's question about my Helms only being able to move straight ahead, but as I explained it is impossible to block a reform (with a very, very few exceptions if you have 4+ units all sat 1" away). Despite these hiccups the discussions were all friendly and Luke was a gentleman about it all so the game progressed with a long rank of Helms moving up to provide support to the Glade Guard.
Said Glade Guard lost a few, but held on Imrik's LD. Imrik, meanwhile, crushed the BSB and reformed towards the Lord. This was my one chance to get in the game in a matchup that's otherwise very, very hard for me. I'd still need help from the dice, but if they were willing, a win is not impossible and I have the opening I wanted. I just need the Glade Guard to hold out one more turn!
:: Middle Game ::
Daemonic Mount hero ran up to support his Lord. Kairos moved away to 24" from Imrik. Magic came up 3+2, he re-rolled the 2 and got 4. He then channeled twice, making it a hopeless 11v4. The first cast was 6D6 Amber Spear on Imrik which I scrolled. He then cast 5D6 Gateway which I managed to stop on 4D6 with double sixes. Dodged a bullet for sure! In combat, the Archers didn't die and held, LD10 with 18" Inspiring Presence is a godsend at times.
I then reformed the bus to 5-wide again. I'd need combat resolution to zone his Daemonic Mount hero. Imrik counter-charged the Lord. I think Luke blew his scroll this turn on Blades of Aiban, but at this point in time the Lord had already suffered 2x Plague of Rust so had "only" the ward vs Imrik. Imrik went in, hoping charge + flank and hopefully a wound or two would make a difference, but the Kairos re-roll ensured the Lord passed his LD7 break test as I did 0 (!) wounds with 10 S10 attacks. At least he did no wounds back, lucky armour saves on my part stopping the S6 Lord.
The Warriors exited the house. Daemonic Mount hero charged Archers. Magic saw his Lord get T9 with a very large cast of Throne of Vines followed by Flesh to Stone on IF. In combat we both failed to do any wounds, I held on stubborn LD10 re-roll while his Hero killed the Archers. Due to the overrun rules and 1" away from friendly however the Daemonic Hero couldn't overrun and was right in my sights as the Helms lowered their lances...
:: End Game ::
At this point in time there were no more room for tactics: It was down to rolling dice. The bus into the Hero, Blades go off on Imrik, I challenge with Crown guy due to the 1+ armour save to maximise my chances of a favourable combat result. I win by 3 but he holds on a 6-, much to my dismay. The Lord and Imrik keep doing 0w to eachother.
Warriors charge Imrik: If the Banner of the World Dragon falls he will be hard pressed to pass his LD tests with all that static. Plaguebearers flank the Helms. Magic sees me stop Flesh to Stone, I can't remember what he gets off in return (might have been a failed cast). In combat I roll huge on Imrik due to Blades and put 7 wounds on the Lord. He's already spent the Kairos re-roll on the Daemonic Mount combat (where I challenged with the champion) I believe and when the Lord rolls triple 2's for his ward, he goes right down! The bus rolled miserably and the Plaguebearers were alive, denying me a reform.
It is now my turn to get a big magic phase. I draw dispel dice on Blades on the bus and then try a Final Trans on Kairos. I may as well give it a go with 7v2 D6 left. Yet again, I get very lucky as the '6' comes up and the Daemon goes down. With Imrik about to eat 1 champion/character per turn, this is looking promising indeed! A very, very hard string of events for Luke, losing the Lord and then Kairos back-to-back in just a few phases on dodgy dice. Regardless, he is in a good mood and I apologize for my sheer luck.
His chariot then finally reaches the Helms. He rolls big, I fail lots of saves but hold on steadfast.
After this, the Warriors eventually fail their LD8 steadfast after many tests and Imrik runs them down. In the very last turn of the game his Exalted barely kills the BSB while the chariot piles in to reduce the Helms to a single model. As it's the standard which is left alive, I at least have 1 combat res, making it an LD6 roll to hold 200 points. I fail the roll, which is just fair considering my fairly lucky run all weekend, and the end score is thus a
14-6 victory to Imrik!
:: Evaluation ::
Where to begin? What a blast of a game! This was a game where I was down from the start: I have to try and create something and that "something" has to happen quickly! In any other case, Kairos will slowly but surely whittle me down while the characters pick the bus apart with ease.
Luke's commitment to the Herdstone gave me this option. I'm not sure exactly why he placed the Warriors there with the BSB, giving me such a huge target that he could not get away. It would be sufficient to have the Bray Shamans there for the +2PD, it's not like my list has a lot of ways to deal with them. With Imrik not having any targets to go for, I would be stranded for at least another turn. As it were, my ability to get into combat T2 and then create a lockdown T3 ensured that I could tank 1 round, the 6W Amber Spear, and scroll another. Though IF dispelling Gateway was lucky, getting 11v4 was quite lucky as well.
Usually when playing from behind you have 2 options: Try and minimize the loss or go all out. With Kairos and TLoS, I only had one option here and that is to go all out: Any other action and he'll completely wipe me. This is actually a good thing because there is never a place for second guessing: It's all about getting stuff stuck in combat as soon as possible, vs as important enemies as possible. To this end, although sacrificing the Peg Cloak hurt (he could've zoned the chariot which would've saved the bus), it was necessary to draw out the BSB and get my opening.
In my opinion I played the better game here, but that is not to say the 14-6 was deserved. Given my play, I'd say around 10-10 would be "fair" given my flank charge on his Lord T3. However this is Warhammer and with End Times no less, things are just crazy. It could easily have been 4-16 the other way despite this charge, as it were the dice gods were with me yet again and the final transing of Kairos sealed the deal. It should be noted that his Daemonic Hero passed a good few crucial tests to keep him alive in the game, had he broken along with the Lord T3/T4 he would be hard pressed to do much. The Daemonic Hero failing a break test at the wrong time would allow me to reform 1 or 2 wide and charge Kairos - we've seen that before with the crazy Elf busses and it's nearly impossible to avoid.
Last but not least, a big shoutout to Luke for being a very sporting opponent. Throughout the weekend I had nothing but nice players on the opposite sides of the table but this was the final game on table 3, everything went against him (including referee decisions, e.g. the reform) and he was still in a good mood and the game went on without bitterness or any awkward silence.
With the big win in game 6, I was very eager to see the final scores. I knew table 1 had gone down 20-0 after Karl Franz got pitted out of existence by Curry's Malekith (and here I thought I was lucky...) so I wasn't anticipating to win. Likewise, table 2 saw a fellow Imrik player, Mark Wildman, win big against his opponent. I knew Russ had taken a 16 or more on the table behind me but I was unsure how many points he had prior to this.
Unfortunately, as the points were all tallied up I was 1 small point behind Russ, 2 behind Mark. I probably would've lost a tie breaker anyway but I was -so- close to the podium which was especially bitter as I'd capped Russ in game 1. Regardless, I was happy with my performance throughout the weekend and consider a 4th place out of 100 competitors to be a strong showing (statistically it is my strongest tournament placing in a singles event) and bearing in mind how little I'd prepared this is nothing to be ashamed of.
Going to Sheffield was an absolute blast and I'm very happy I made the trip. I will definitely go back to the UK for tournaments later on, but I'm not sure when I'll have the opportunity to do so. I made lots of new friends, met with tons of awesome people and had a great time.
Stay tuned for a post-tournament analysis
Opponent's Final Placing: 8/102
My Points: 83/96
My Final Placing: 4/102