last updated:
21.08.08 | 19:43 gmt
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written by:
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So Near and Yet So Far
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Well, what can I say. Despite all previous occurrences taken into account and the several inches of snow that had fallen that morning I managed to get to the event without getting massively lost. There were a couple of slight detours due to the inclement weather and those “scum of the earth” lorry drivers getting in the way, though. The only slight getting lost incident was as a result of
Rob Lane's crappy navigation (eh? we never got lost! - Rob) and nothing to do with me at all. This weekend was certainly looking to be off to a good start.
Arriving at the venue, the first impression was “Excellent!”, the hall was large and roomy, with plenty of space between the tables. Even more of a pleasant surprise was the well stocked bar right outside the tournament area. The good start to the weekend just got better. All in all there were about sixty entries with all races represented.
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organiser:
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venue:
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city:
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country:
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Sheffield
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United Kingdom
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system:
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event rules:
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Warhammer 5th
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unavailable
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Smithy and Friends
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The Loren Guard
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1 Wood Elf General
1 Wood Elf Hero riding a Warhawk
1 Wood Elf Hero
1 Wood Elf Master Mage
1 Wood Elf Mage riding a Warhawk
1 four-horse Chariot
5 Glade Riders
6 Warhawk Riders
11 Wood Elf Archers
9 Wood Elf Archers
8 Wood Elf Archers
7 Wood Elf Archers
8 Wood Elf Glade Guard
5 Way Watchers
5 Wood Elf Scouts
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opponent:
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army:
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Paul Stevenson
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Dark Elves
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My first game was against Paul Stevenson’s Dark Elves. Paul had his General on a Cold One in a unit of five Cold One Knights along with a Hero and the Battle Standard Bearer. He also had a Witch Elf Hero on a Dark Pegasus, two level one Sorcerers, a unit of twenty Witch Elves, twenty City Guard, eight Corsairs, eight Scouts, six Dark Riders, five Harpies and two Repeater Bolt Throwers.
Even though the odds were that I would lose the first turn and he would shoot me to death with his bolt throwers, I felt rather bullish so I deployed most of my archers deeply on a hill. The throw off for first turn went my way, so I demolished his bolt throwers and Witch Elves on turn one; by turn five I had lost my Chariot & Wardancers. Paul had lost everything apart from his General, Hero and one Cold One Knights who were aimlessly wandering around in the Mist Of Duthandor and his Harpies who had cowered behind a building since the first turn.
The 15pts I earned for this game put me in fourth place and on the second table, so I was approaching my next game with trepidation.
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Wood Elves:
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Dark Elves:
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15 points
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1.75 points
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opponent:
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army:
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Lizardmen
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The draw was put up and I would be facing local Sheffield Dragon Slayer and all round good bloke
Darren Dabell with his new Lizardman army (who's now joined our club). I really hate playing against the seemingly unbreakable Lizards and to make things worse these had been until recently owned by my tournament nemesis
Pete Scholey (of double Steggie fame for readers of my previous reports).
Well what happened? Darren got the first move and began his advance in his first magic phase. He Grey Winged his Stegadon (he was using Grey Magic) into my main archer unit which included my Mage. A short game I thought, but my chariot that had been set up to cover the front of my archers charged the Stegadon in the side, I got eight impact hits, he got two which both failed to wound my Mage. I easily won the combat and ran down the Stegadon. My shooting was all targeted at the Mage Priest who died on turn 2! Things were definitely looking up. At the end of the game Darren was left with a unit of Skinks and Kroxigors aimlessly lost in the Mist Of Duthandor and a Saurus Champion who had Black Gemmed one of my Wardancers. All I lost was my Warhawks, who had fled a charge then failed to rally and consequently ran off the table.
Wow, two rounds and now in third place, gulp.
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Wood Elves:
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Lizardmen:
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18 points
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1 point
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opponent:
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army:
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Stuart Cain
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Skaven
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My next game was against Stuart Cain's Skaven army, comprising the General in a unit of four Rat Ogres, a Grey Seer on the Screaming Bell in a massive unit of Clan Rats, a unit of Plague Priests and Censer Bearers, six Gutter Runners, two Warp Fire Throwers and four Jezzails.
I was now feeling pretty confident and set about this game with a new found enthusiasm for my Woodies. The first turn saw his Censer Bearers and Warp Fire Throwers cut down to a man. He did manage to cast Scorch on the wood containing my Way Watchers, but I had a plan! Rather than withdrawing from the wood immediately I took the hits and then let the now frenzied Plague Priests charge in; then the Way Watchers fled with them. Scorch burnt the Plague Priests up pretty bad and upon emerging from the wood they were easily run down by my chariot! My archers now concentrated on the Rat Ogres and hits were soon randomised onto his General; the Ring Of Corin soon put paid to the 4+ special save offered by his Black Amulet. Not surprisingly, next turn all the fire concentrated on the remaining two Rat Ogres and General, easily killing the Skaven Warlord. The only models that didn't flee off table were the remaining Rat Ogre and the Grey Seer with the Clanrats. The Screaming Bell and Clan Rats finally made it across the table only to chase off 99pts of Archers and my 160pt War Dancers... wow.
Bloody hell, another win!
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Wood Elves:
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Skaven:
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17.75 points
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2.25 points
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That Night
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Anyhow let’s progress to the real reason all us grown men play with toy soldiers. That’s right, the nights out that our wives and girlfriends have no interest in poking their noses in. Let’s face it, if you are not a wargamer, the thought of spending an evening with sixty or so sweaty, beery blokes talking about chariot conversions, combat resolutions and paint jobs holds no interest.
And this is exactly what we want our significant others to think we do. What actually happens is that we get shit-faced, tell farty and nob jokes and very little about wargaming at all. If they found this out they may want to come along, so lets keep the mystique up eh fellas?
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opponent:
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army:
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Chaos Warriors
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Ding Ding Round Four... well, I'm in second place and drawn against team-mate
Rob Lane who is in first place. It’s decided that I will not play Rob, so he gets to play third place Paul Hartshorne and I get fourth place local lad
Nathan Hoole.
Nathan is a bit apprehensive of facing the hail of arrows that I will rain down on his Slaanesh Chaos Warriors, and I’m still playing on the virtual billiard table that is table two (my third game on this table). Nathan has a General on Steed of Slaanesh, a Slaanesh Sorceror in a chariot, five Chaos Knights, a Marauder Chariot, six Knights including the Battle Standard Bearer, six Marauder Horse, twelve Marauders, six Warriors, an Ogre and some Harpies.
A hard fought game occurs, and guess what - he has bugger all left at the end and in a wonderful bit of deja-vu his General is aimlessly wandering about in the Mist of Duthandor.
Rob Lane also wins his game, so we go into the fifth and final round with Rob still in first place and me in second. The temptation to begin the war taunt “Manny Lads We Are Here” was suppressed, but only just.
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Wood Elves:
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Chaos Warrior:
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15 points
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9 points
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The most unusual battle of the event
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opponent:
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army:
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Pete Renn
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Chaos Warriors
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Again it is decided that I shall not play against
Rob Lane (as we get to fight each week at the club), who will play Steve Thornton from the Birmingham Troll Slayers. I play Pete Renn instead, who is a cracking bloke and even plays for the Mansfield team when his lightweight compatriots will not make the long trek from Maidstone to tourneys. Let's face it though - Maidstone is a long way from anywhere. Pete has a Slaanesh Warrior army with Chaos Mage Lord on a Steed of Slaanesh, a Chaos Mage on a Steed of Slaanesh, a Chaos Mage on a Manticore, a Chaos Mage on a chariot pulled by Steeds of Slaanesh, six Marauder horse, twelve Marauders, six Hounds, six Warriors and a solitary Ogre.
Pete and I deploy and I see an opportunity; if I can get first turn then I can hopefully shoot the level one Chaos Mage off the Manticore, then watch it maul its way through the rest of his army. Pete gets the first turn though and advances on me. In his magic phase he throws a three, I get a power card and Pete drinks his Potion of Knowledege. Hmmm... after the application of Arnizipal's Black Horror to my line of archers, Soul Drain to my Warhawks and Witch Flight into my Master Mage the game is basically over. My first defeat of the weekend, and I did not even get to roll a dice!
Ah well, you win some and lose some.
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Wood Elves:
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Chaos Warriors:
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0 points
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20 points
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Taking Stock
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Overall I was placed ninth, not bad considering the twenty-nil pasting I got in my last game...
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Next Dragon Slayer Tournament
>>
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