GENCON was a massive event. It was the Worthiest Adversary’s first time in attendance and the experience was overwhelming in the most positive regard. Eddie Draper and the team managing the GT did an amazing job running a GT amidst one of the largest conventions in the country! Some amazing competitors came to show at the Mid America Gaming Series Championship GT but only one of them would go undefeated. The Worthiest Adversary was fortunate enough to have the time to speak with that champion, Aaron Aleong.
++ Brigade Detachment +12CP (Imperium – Astra Militarum) [56 PL, 934pts] ++
+ No Force Org Slot +
Regimental Doctrine: Cadian
+ HQ +
Company Commander [2 PL, 31pts]:[/b] Boltgun, Chainsword, Grand Strategist, Kurov’s Aquila, Warlord
Primaris Psyker [2 PL, 46pts]:[/b] Force Stave, Mental Fortitude, Psychic Barrier
Primaris Psyker [2 PL, 46pts]:[/b] Force Stave, Mental Fortitude, Nightshroud
Tempestor Prime [3 PL, 45pts]:[/b] Chainsword, Tempestus Command Rod
+ Troops +
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 45pts]
. 7x Guardsman
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 45pts]
. 7x Guardsman
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 45pts]
. 7x Guardsman
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 45pts]
. 7x Guardsman
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol
Militarum Tempestus Scions [3 PL, 78pts]
. 2x Scion: 2x Hot-shot Lasgun
. Scion w/ Special Weapon: Plasma gun
. Scion w/ Special Weapon: Plasma gun
. Tempestor: Chainsword, Plasma pistol
Militarum Tempestus Scions [3 PL, 86pts]
. 2x Scion: 2x Hot-shot Lasgun
. Scion w/ Special Weapon: Meltagun
. Scion w/ Special Weapon: Meltagun
. Tempestor: Chainsword, Plasma pistol
+ Elites +
Militarum Tempestus Command Squad [3 PL, 88pts]
. Tempestus Scion: Plasma gun
. Tempestus Scion: Plasma gun
. Tempestus Scion: Plasma gun
. Tempestus Scion: Plasma gun
Ogryn Bodyguard [4 PL, 55pts]:[/b] Ripper Gun, Slabshield, The Deathmask of Ollanius
Platoon Commander [2 PL, 20pts]:[/b] Chainsword, Laspistol
Platoon Commander [2 PL, 20pts]:[/b] Chainsword, Laspistol
+ Fast Attack +
Rough Riders [3 PL, 50pts]
. 4x Rough Rider: 4x Hunting Lance
. Rough Rider Sergeant: Chainsword, Hunting Lance, Laspistol
Scout Sentinels [3 PL, 45pts]
. Scout Sentinel: Multi-laser
Scout Sentinels [3 PL, 45pts]
. Scout Sentinel: Multi-laser
+ Heavy Support +
Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL, 33pts]
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL, 33pts]
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL, 33pts]
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar
++ Outrider Detachment +1CP (Imperium – Adeptus Ministorum) [34 PL, 627pts] ++
+ HQ +
Canoness [4 PL, 59pts]: Eviscerator, Storm bolter
Celestine [8 PL, 200pts]: Celestine
+ Elites +
Imagifier [2 PL, 40pts]
+ Fast Attack +
Seraphim Squad [8 PL, 124pts]
. 5x Seraphim
. Seraphim Superior: Bolt pistol, Bolt pistol
. Seraphim w/ Special Weapons: 2x Inferno Pistols
. Seraphim w/ Special Weapons: 2x Inferno Pistols
Seraphim Squad [8 PL, 113pts]
. 4x Seraphim
. Seraphim Superior: Bolt pistol, Bolt pistol
. Seraphim w/ Special Weapons: 2x Inferno Pistols
. Seraphim w/ Special Weapons: 2x Inferno Pistols
Seraphim Squad [4 PL, 91pts]
. 2x Seraphim
. Seraphim Superior: Bolt pistol, Bolt pistol
. Seraphim w/ Special Weapons: 2x Inferno Pistols
. Seraphim w/ Special Weapons: 2x Inferno Pistols
++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium – Blood Angels) [26 PL, 439pts] ++
+ HQ +
Captain [6 PL, 129pts]: Jump Pack, Storm shield, Thunder hammer
Chief Librarian Mephiston [8 PL, 145pts]
+ Troops +
Scout Squad [4 PL, 55pts]
. Scout: Boltgun
. Scout: Boltgun
. Scout: Boltgun
. Scout: Boltgun
. Scout Sergeant: Boltgun, Combat knife
Scout Squad [4 PL, 55pts]
. Scout: Combat knife
. Scout: Combat knife
. Scout: Combat knife
. Scout: Combat knife
. Scout Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Combat knife
Scout Squad [4 PL, 55pts]
. Scout: Combat knife
. Scout: Boltgun
. Scout: Astartes shotgun
. Scout: Astartes shotgun
. Scout Sergeant: Bolt pistol, Combat knife
++ Total: [116 PL, 2000pts] ++
WA: Quick introduction (name, stomping grounds, started playing 40k, other hobbies or points of interest)
AA: *Aaron Aleong
*Indianapolis, Indiana (Now southern Arkansas)
*End of 4th
*Love playing my kids and 40k
WA: Best placings at a GT and/or Majors event? Playing what army and in what edition?
AA: Major GT wins
*Adepticon 2016
*Nova GT 2015
*Nova Invite 2011, 2013, 2015
*ATC 2015, 2016, 2017
*Michigan GT 2015
*Renegade Open 2017
*Adepticon teams 2012, 2013
Team USA 2015, 2016
Mostly all imperial armies.
WA: Most recent GT or Majors event attended and placing?
AA: Gencon
WA: What did you think of that event overall?
AA: Fun event and well ran. they handled the minor drama well. Kept things on time for the most part. Didn’t like the change to ITC ruins. 😀
WA: Break down your list, how does it work and function in general?
AA: My list is a board control, asphalt style list. Most people don’t realize it until its too late. I control 50% of the board on my turn 1 whether I go 1st or 2nd. All units in my lists always have the ability to synergize with each other. I build multiple areas of force multipliers in the list.
WA: What were you preparing for going into the event? Expectations regarding missions and opposing lists?
AA: I try to build my list for missions primarily and the top 10% of player/list combo second. I always expect to be in contention to play for the win. With ITC, you play the mission first and the opponent list 2nd. It’s a good idea to always build your list to the mission style, then make adjustments for meta. My list in scores ITC very well and also is tough to choose against in ITC.
WA: Once you got there, what was new or different that you saw but had not anticipated?
AA: I was not expecting as many Knights that we saw.
WA: First match up? Against who and what army? Who won and by what margin? Who went first? How did the game play out in general? Anything specific stand out?
AA: Played versus Genestealer Cult. Great guy out of Kentucky. Frank Thomas. I have played him before and he is pretty good. I got first turn but he seized. I won by 7 pts. Unfortunately I clogged up the board and it caused Frank to slow down drastically. I let him play his game and carefully mentioned his 2nd turn took 35 minutes. we got to turn 3 unfortunately. On my turn 1 I had 60% of the board blocked off so he had no room to bring in his cult ambush.
WA: Second match up?
AA: Some guy named Red. He had necrons with lots of destroyers, a vault, ctan, and destroyer lord, and cryptek. I got first turn but he seized on me…. sigh. I deployed where he couldn’t redeploy anywhere with my scouts and using my scout sentinels. He moved up, killed all my scouts, some IG. I beta striked with Mephiston, psykers, and seraphim and killed his vault turn 1. That was a tough blow for him. I then got lucky and was able to blow up his c’tan on his turn 2 when he killed Mephiston in CC. Red played very well with target priority and keeping his destroyers coming back. At the end of my turn 2 I had 70% or the board under control and was able to pinch him in slowly killing his crons that kept getting back up. Great game.
VIP for Red destroyer lord.. I did over 20 wounds to the jerk
WA: Third match up?
AA: Played versus Admech, BA, IG. He had 3 units of priests in the Admech drill pods. An IG CP battery, And 3 smash captains with 3 Scouts. Really good list. This game I won by 2 points. he got 1st turn and made it a game. Priests killed scouts and became super. I killed them and scored maelstrom points waiting for him to move. If we went further It would have been more exciting. I had more bodies so won they attrition. Smite for the win vs smash captains.
WA: How did you feel at the end of day one, given your positioning? Anything specific you had planned out for your next opponent that morning?
AA: I was tired Had been a few weeks since I played. I figured I would hit knights day 2 since they where all above me or around me in the standings.
WA: Fourth match up?
AA: Round 4, played 4 knights. Two of the new gigantic ones. He played very well. When 12 of my melta shots on turn 2 failed to wound, I was in trouble. I had to play really right to get a 1 point win off the player. This was also my 1st time playing against the new knights. I used all the techniques I had to beat him. Including locking a knight in combat 1 turn with a big blob of IG.
WA: Fifth match up?
AA: Steven Schuler: Game wasnt that close. He has a BA, IG battery, and 3 knights. He got 1st turn. He played well, but I maneuvered him to send his knights where I wanted. He sent his smash captains where I wanted and they died pretty fast. He ended up in 2nd so did very well, but his list wasnt built to sustain the close combat and shooting I had.
WA: Sixth match up?
AA: Josh Death. Josh had a unique list. 3 LoW IG flyers that where pretty good and 3 knights. Unfortunately for him, I have over 110 models with heavy objectives and the terrain board was amazingly in my favor. I could hide all my seraphim and characters without him being able to see them. We rolled some dice. I got my side, and we barely played 1 turn. He couldn’t escape with the deployment map and couldnt block out my assault elements or my melta/plasma onslaught. It was called early. Basically I kill 1/2 his army in my turn 1. Then he has 3 models left.
WA: Final roll up and placing? Having rehashed everything, what are your thoughts now?
AA: 1st place. Fun event. I feel the list works great against any army to include Eldar. I added the Ogryn Bodyguard with slab shield and mask to counter the knights special kill-a-character missiles. I also dropped 2 squads if infantry for drop scions for anti knight. They both made me play faster and I’m happy about that.
WA: What were some of the best tactics and combos that you saw at the event?
AA: I loved the destroyer lord+cryptek
BA+ IG battery + Mechanicus strats
Knight strats are stupid good.
WA: What did you think of the mission sets?
AA: I like ITC, they need to update tho. And didn’t like change to ITC ruins rule at event. Made knights too good.
WA: What are you planning on changing in your list?
AA: Nothing. It hasn’t changed much in all of 8th.
WA: What’s next on your schedule?
AA: Rest. Concentrate on the new job and family in new place. May surprise some people at some events. 😉
WA: Any parting thoughts for the audience?
AA: 40k is fun. I know we all want to win. It’s ok to lose. Often people get labeled certain ways for certain reasons. Just because we lose, doesn’t mean we should try to find an excuse why we lost that may just be, someone played better than us that day. I hate to see anyone given a bad name because someone fabricates a narrative. We are all people paying lots of money to play this game. We all deserve respect and dignity. I know I am an intense player on the table top. I have worked for years to improve and try and take into consideration my opponent also deserves to have a good time. There is a difference between a mistake and deliberately cheating. I will always give every person the benefit of the doubt until I see for myself.
I only hope my game with Red will show as one of the many examples over the last few years when I humbly speak to my opponents after the game and ask them how our game was, they respond something like, “Man that was nothing like I was lead to believe”. I truly want to help grow our hobby. I help a lot of people with lists, game theory, etc. I am always available for free to help.
Aaron was an exceptional opponent and a great time was had across the board. The Worthiest Adversary appreciates the time and effort that was taken on Aaron’s behalf to bring the audience the play by play of his victory from GENCON. The event and the competition were amazing and it will no doubt continue to occur for years to come. The Worthiest Adversary hopes that everyone can get a chance to attend GENCON and face off with serious competition. Iron sharpens iron, and playing with Aaron Aleong was a great experience for the Worthiest Adversary.
“Titans? They’re just like anything else. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.” – Captain Miklos Furnow, Hydrae 15th Guard Regiment
The Worthiest Adversary 