The Worthiest Adversary

This previous weekend, the ground shook and trembled with the thunder of war. The Louisville Slugga went down in Louisville, KY at Heroes Comics and Gaming. 38 contestants stepped forward into the ring, and even though more than one player never lost, there was only one Best General. But the Worthiest Adversary is not just about winning or being the best at one event, this is about the war path. And this article shows how losing one, or even two battles, does not mean that the war has been lost. The Worthiest Adversary was fortunate to interview Daniel Sansone who took 4th place at the Slugga amongst a field of veteran players from the Mid America Gaming Series.

++ Brigade Detachment +12CP (T’au Empire) [106 PL, 1996pts] ++

+ HQ +
Cadre Fireblade [2 PL, 42pts]: Markerlight, Warlord
Commander in XV86 Coldstar Battlesuit [8 PL, 174pts]: 4x Fusion blaster
Ethereal [2 PL, 45pts]: Honour blade
Longstrike [10 PL, 207pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Ion cannon, Seeker missile

+ Troops +
Strike Team [2 PL, 35pts]. Fire Warrior Shas’ui: Pulse rifle. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle
Strike Team [2 PL, 35pts]. Fire Warrior Shas’ui: Pulse rifle. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle
Strike Team [2 PL, 35pts]. Fire Warrior Shas’ui: Pulse rifle. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle
Strike Team [2 PL, 35pts]. Fire Warrior Shas’ui: Pulse rifle. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle
Strike Team [2 PL, 35pts]. Fire Warrior Shas’ui: Pulse rifle. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle
Strike Team [2 PL, 35pts]. Fire Warrior Shas’ui: Pulse rifle. 4x Fire Warrior w/ Pulse Rifle

+ Elites +
Firesight Marksman [1 PL, 25pts]: Markerlight, Pulse pistol
Firesight Marksman [1 PL, 25pts]: Markerlight, Pulse pistol
XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [14 PL, 272pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Heavy burst cannon, Target lock, Velocity tracker
XV104 Riptide Battlesuit [14 PL, 272pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Heavy burst cannon, Target lock, Velocity tracker
XV25 Stealth Battlesuits [6 PL, 84pts]. Stealth Shas’ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon. Stealth Shas’ui w/ Burst Cannon: Burst cannon. Stealth Shas’vre: Burst cannon

+ Fast Attack +
Pathfinder Team [3 PL, 40pts]. 4x Pathfinder: 4x Markerlight. Pathfinder Shas’ui: Markerlight
Tactical Drones [2 PL, 40pts]: 4x MV4 Shield Drone
Tactical Drones [4 PL, 50pts]: 5x MV4 Shield Drone

+ Heavy Support +
TX7 Hammerhead Gunship [9 PL, 170pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Ion cannon, Seeker missile
TX7 Hammerhead Gunship [9 PL, 170pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Ion cannon, Seeker missile
TX7 Hammerhead Gunship [9 PL, 170pts]: 2x Smart missile system, Ion cannon, Seeker missile

++ Total: [106 PL, 1996pts] ++

WA: Quick introduction (name, stomping grounds, started playing 40k, other hobbies or points of interest)

DS: Hi my name is Daniel Sansone, member of Team Happy. Started playing in 5th Edition, I’m in the Indy area, currently ranked 16th in the ITC overall.

WA: What was your list for the Louisville Slugga?

DS: My list for the Louisville Slugga was Tau. Now I’m a Chaos player but didn’t have everything painted and when I reached into my bag of tricks, I pulled out a fully painted Tau army, so I blew the dust off and put this together.

WA: What did you think of the Slugga overall?

DS: Overall the Slugga was a blast, got to hangout with some new people and play some great games.

WA: Break down your list, how does it work and function in general?

DS: Breaking down a Tau list is super easy: Shoot marker lights first, then shoot, shoot, and more shooting. Haha.

WA: What were you preparing for going into the event? Expectations regarding missions and opposing lists?

DS: Going into the Slugga, I had about three games [playing] the missions. Having read the missions, I knew my list wasn’t going to be the best going in. These missions favor going second and Tau always want to go first and once we go into the recap of the games, it really shows.

It’s hard to predict what will be the meta when you pull players from multiple different states.  What the Indy guys play isn’t what the Chicago guys play or the Ohio, Louisville, etc.

WA: Once you got there, what was new or different that you saw but had not anticipated?

DS: Once I got there, it was what I thought, a wild, wild west of everything. No one was playing the same thing which is a testament to 8th edition.

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?

DS: Played David [Ivings] and his Eldar/harlequins – double hemlocks, bunch of clowns in cars and a big unit of dark reapers.

I have always had trouble with Eldar ever since I started playing and this game was no different. I hadn’t looked into what the harlequins’ book has and David was more than willing to take me to school on the new, hot codex, haha. We both knew who went first was going to have a big advantage or out right win the game because this was not a progressive objective mission. Everything was end of game. David went first and went to town. we played til turn 4 but the writing was on the wall.

Lost 3 to 32.

“I feel a big take away from this is make sure you realize what the format of tournament is and how to play around that and don’t get focused on so much winning/losing.”

WA: Second match up?

DS: Against Ted [Crawford] and Ad Mech. He plays an off meta list with deep striking, plasma units and a big unit of deep striking robots which gave his army protection if he went first.

Once again, going first was a big advantage because we both can just out right blast each other off the table. I won the roll, but Ted rolled that magical number 6 to steal turn 1 from me! I had castled up in the back corner and was ready to be shot up. Lucky for me, his shooting fell flat and I made some clutch saves. During my turn, I killed all the big, shooty robots that were on the board and ran both my rip tides on the relic objectives and brought up drones to protect them. Turn 2, he brought in the deep striking units but with me not taking a ton of damage on turn 1, I was able to push out the board. He wasn’t able to bring down the riptides and they camped the relics and I just shot til he had nothing left.

Win 32 to 1.

WA: Third match up?

DS: Against Red [Powell] and his Necrons, a very scary, hard-hitting, shooting army with 3 big units of destroyers and 3 big units of warriors.

This mission was progressive objectives and I got to go first. I was going to give Red first turn but he had redeploy tricks and enough bodies to push me off objectives so I just took it first turn. Turn 1, I shot and killed a unit of destroyers and a unit of warriors. At this point I thought I was in a decent spot. Red’s turn 1 was what I thought, he marched forward and sat on the objectives and shot. Now my big mistake which I believe cost me this game (spoiler). On my turn 2, I shot a lot to drop another unit of destroyers when I should have shot everything to kill the other 2 units of warriors. This was big because on Red’s turn 2, he spread out the warriors and grabbed multiple objectives and because of how players score objectives, going second controls the flow of the game.

At this point, we went back and forth shooting and trying to out position each other. We went the full 7 turns and at the end we both had about 3 models left.This game really showed how going second was the money move and Tau always wanting to go first was bad news. Looking back if I would have given up first turn he would have moved everything up and blasted me off the table. Destroyers are no joke, kiddos.

This was by far the hardest game at the event for me, even though both armies are shooting focused, there was actually a lot of back and forth on positioning and trying to get the upper hand. A very tactical game where if either of us had made a wrong move or didn’t pick the correct targets we both could have out right lost the game.

Loss 13 to 24.

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?

DS: Now I know what you guys are thinking, X-2, tournament is over, GG, BUT what most players don’t realize is in a battle point tournament, winning and losing doesn’t [necessarily] matter! It all comes down to how many points you can get. I placed higher than players with better records because even though they were winning games, they were low scoring wins. I feel a big take away from this is make sure you realize what the format of tournament is and how to play around that and don’t get focused on so much winning/losing.

WA: Fourth match up?

DS: David [Sherrer] and his 3x knights and chaos.

This game I picked up the mission and threw it away cause it was not an issue. My army is built to bully elite armies and with me rolling that magical 6 to steal the first turn from him, it was the nail in the coffin. This was literally a 15 min game but we both knew it and had a couple laughs, shook hands and that was it.

Win 33 to 0.

WA: Fifth match up?

DS: Simon [Leen] and his Sisters of Battle. Eight repressors full of melta girls and Celestine and jump pack sisters (sorry, forgot their name).

Now going into this game, I was a bit scared because his army pushes down your throat right away. Between scout moving vehicles and acts of faith, he I knew he would be on me. I did something that I normally don’t do, I used my rip tides as bait by kind of leaving them off on their own.  He went first and went right for the riptides, destroying one and damaging another. During my turn, I opened up and shot for the fence. The big moment was when I killed Celestine and he rolled that sweet, sweet one and burned his re-roll earlier in the shooting phase. We both moved around but after his knock out punch didn’t work, I moved up and shot. Simon was another great opponent. We actually played each other at the team event at Adepticon.

Win 33 to 12.

What were some of the best tactics and combos that you saw at the event?

WA: What did you think of the mission sets?

DS: Overall the missions were decent and required players to play for the big points and not just sit back and shoot or play overly defensive (like my army wanted to do).

WA: What are you planning on changing in your list?

DS: Changes to the list? Not sure because I’m not 100% on what I will be playing at ATC just yet so we will see, and just like a every good magician, I never give up my secrets!

WA: What’s next on your schedule? Any parting thoughts for the audience?

DS: Whats next for me is the Circle City GT, ATC, Gencon, and Nova.

Daniel Sansone is on the warpath to the Circle City GT, fourth round of the MAGS, then three Majors along the way. Currently Daniel is the number one overall ranked competitor in the MAGS! Where will he stand come GENCON 2018, the MAGS 40k Championship? Khorne cares not from where the blood flows and the path leading to the skull throne is littered with the skulls of champions and the defeated. The Worthiest Adversary continues to extoll on the victories of various champions across just as many battlefields, so stay tuned, for War is Eternal!

Circle City GT Facebook Page

Circle City GT Event Packet

Circle City GT BCP Link

The Weekend has passed. The battlefields were wracked with the tumult of eternal war from the Louisville Slugga to the GCWA 2018 40k GT to the Beef & Wing Brawl! And war is forever on the horizon. Previously, the Worthiest Adversary interviewed Eddie Draper in regards to GENCON 2018, the MAGS 40k Championship. This time, Eddie Draper returns to inform us all about Round 4 of the Mid American Gaming Series, the Circle City GT! The event is 2 days. Round 1-3 on Saturday. Rounds 4 and 5 We will have prizes for awards and the winner will get a 4 day badge and free entry into the MAGS GT final at Gencon 2018.

WA: Quick introduction of event (format and mission sets, venue, other members of the hosting team and any shout outs for credit and assistance)

ED: Circle City GT is the home stretch of the MAGS tournaments. It is also the primer for Gencon Warhammer 40k tournament. We plan to use standard ITC missions and play 2k. Family Time Games in Indianapolis, IN is playing host to the event. Family Time Games has about 15 finished game tables. They can expand to have 30 playable tables. For the Circle City GT, it will most likely be myself and my assistant/ supportive girlfriend, Susie. I’d like to give a shout out to Shane, the owner of Family Time Games for allowing us to play at his store.

WA: Can you speak about the MAGS and this being the final GT prior to the championship at GENCON?

ED: Its been a long time coming for the Circle City GT and the MAGS finale tournament. It’s exciting for the end to be coming up. We are pulling all the stops out to make sure that the MAGS finale is awesome!

“One lucky plater will win a 4 day badge and entry into the MAGS finale at Gencon.”

WA: Expected attendance at event?

ED: For the Circle City GT, I’m expecting somewhere between 35-40 players. We have a cap of 60 just to be on the safe side.

WA: How many long distance travelers are anticipated?

ED: Right now it seems most of our players are coming from Indiana and the surrounding states.

WA: What is unique about your event that distinguishes it from others?

ED: I think one of the big unique things is that it’s part of the MAGS tournament series. So not only do players earn points for MAGS, but also for ITC, and one lucky player will win a 4 day badge and entry into the MAGS finale at Gencon.

WA: Given the release of material from GW and the adapting meta of your region and abroad, what is the approx. cut off point for your event and how do you think the meta might shift, even at your event?

ED: Cut off for rules material for Circle city GT is June 23 and it is also when list are due from players. I know we have some strong players coming in to this event that have taken part at all of the MAGS tournaments, but I know we also have local talent coming out to play as well. With Indy’s large player base, I’m sure we will see a wide verities of arms and strategies being use. The event might have an effect on our local meta since this event is shaping up to be one of our largest events since 2014. It is also a chance to get some valuable data on the recent codex that have been released.

WA: What are some expected points of contention amongst players?

ED: While we plan to use chess clocks at this event, I’m not requiring all players to use them. The top 5 tables will be using them. Out side of that, players are encouraged to bring their own chess clock if they wish to use them and agree with their opponent before the round to use a chess clock.

WA: How is your event approaching time available per game?

ED: Time should not be an issue. We plan to have 2:30 hour rounds with an hour break between rounds for players to refresh and get food near by. The venue allows outside food and drink. Also it has snacks and drinks on hand for those that wish to purchase them.

WA: What are some lessons learned from previous experiences that you are trying to implement going into this event specifically?

ED: This is our testing ground for Gencon. One of the things we plan to do is to have a live stream of the Circle City GT going on the MAGS Facebook Page during the event.

WA: Anything else you’d like to add? Any additional information for the GENCON Championship?

ED: Gencon is fast approaching and if you wish to take part in our event at Gencon, we strongly encourage players to purchase their badges and tickets before June 17th to have them mailed out to them. After that date players will have to pick up their tickets at the Will Call Window. Will Call Window opens at noon on Wednesday, August 1st. The window will be open til the end of the convention.

The MAGS is a campaign, culminating at the decisive point, GENCON. The battlefield before that is in Indianapolis, Indiana at Family Time Games, the Circle City GT! Eddie Draper has once again laid out the terrain for us all and the Worthiest Adversary stands at the front lines. Even if someone has not participated in MAGS up to this point, the broader the field, the less others’ previous victories might matter across the long term of the War, so disparage not, and bring your forces to arms. The Worthiest Adversary will see you at the Circle City GT.

“I long for death, not because I seek peace, but because I seek the war eternal.” – Cardinal Armandus Helfire

Facebook Page of MAGS Championship at GENCON

GENCON 40k Championship Mission Packet

The warpath is littered with corpses, skulls, and blood. The screams of the embattled, the dying, and the victorious echo across the Aether in eternal war. With the Brass Throne to the Adversary’s back, endless battlefields await ahead. Some are like steps in a stair case, others are like the eye of the storm, at the center of the war itself. GENCON is one such battlefield. There are critical points in every war, in all wars, where the victors stand atop a mountain of the slain, marked in time and history. GENCON is one such battlefield.

The Worthiest Adversary had an amazing opportunity to interview Eddie Draper from the Mid American Gaming Series and one of the main Tournament Organizers of GENCON’s 40k Championship. Two months out from GENCON, on the eve of the Louisville Slugga, and a month away from the Circle City GT, the storms gather for a Major Tournament in the ITC Circuit at the beginning of August, one of only a few events held each year.

WA: Quick introduction (name, started playing 40k, how many events have you TO’ed, 40k army of choice and other hobbies or points of interest)

ED: My name is Ed Draper. I’ve been playing 40k for 6 years. I TO anywhere from 6-8 events a year. My 40k army of choice is Orkz! Outside of 40k, I also play Classic Battletech and several other board games.

WA: Quick introduction of the GENCON 40k Championship?

ED: Gencon this year is the crown jewel and grand finale for the Mid America Gaming Series or MAGS for short. MAGS is a collection of Regional TO’s working together to organize larger events prompting community growth in our region. Connecting multiple regional groups together. MAGS is made up of Indy40k, Cincinnati Arsenal Gaming, Bourbon Brothers Gaming in Northern Kentucky, and Glass City GT in Northern Ohio. Sean Pittman is our Game Master. Leading the charge on most of our projects.

For the Gencon GT, we will be using ITC champion Missions for the Grand finale. Gencon is hosted at the Indianapolis Convention center. This complex plays host to several large-scale conventions year-round. In its most recent expansion, the convention center and Lucis Oil Stadium (Home of the NFL Colts team) have been connected to provide more space for exhibits for conventions. Last year was Gencon’s 50^th anniversary and the stadium played host to the Gencon Museum . Gencon is the largest gaming convention in North America, probably the world. Gencon is more than just Warhammer. Gencon include board games, card games, RPGs, LRPGS,  and table top games. There is something for every gamer at Gencon.

WA: Expected attendance at event?

ED: We are expecting 85-100 players this year.

WA: Is that typical attendance for the area?

ED: It’s not normal for our Warhammer 40k events.

WA: How many long distance travelers are anticipated?

ED: Many, I know this year we have couple players from Texas going to be there. Gencon attracts a lot of people from around the world.

WA: What do you like about this format and mission set more so than others?

ED: I like the ITC format as it gives players a reason to travel and compete in numerous events that they would not normal compete in.

WA: Given the release of material from GW and the adapting meta of your region and abroad, what is the approx. cut off point for your event and how do you think the meta might shift, even at your event?

ED: Due to our player diversity, the meta in our region is ever-changing. Personally, I play anti-meta and all-comer style of lists. The cut off for new rules materials for Gencon is 2 weeks before the event. July 20^th. I don’t know how much our event will affect the meta in general.

WA: How do you think the new FAQ and beta rules will impact your event?

ED: We plan to use the new FAQ and beta rules for the event. These rules have been out long enough that I believe most players have adapted to using these rules.

WA: What are some expected points of contention amongst players?

ED: This is the finale for MAGS. I’m sure some players will be discouraged by this being the final, but we plan to hand out prizes and awards for the winners of the tournament. We’ll have separate prizes and awards for the end MAGS Season.

WA: How is your event approaching time available per game?

ED: Lucky for us, the gaming halls at Gencon never close when Gencon starts. If we run over a bit, we can adjust our schedule. The plan is to have 2hr 30 min rounds with 1 hour breaks. We plan to use chess clocks at the event. Not every table will have them. The top tables will have them, but outside of that it will be at the players’ discretion to use them at the other tables.

WA: What are some lessons learned from previous experiences that you are trying to implement going into your event?

ED: Planning! The more planning we do ahead of time the better off we are. I’ve actually start to run a Primer event in July. It’s not just for the players, it’s also for myself. It’s where I test out ideas for the event and if we need to make any last-minute changes at Gencon. This year, we’ve also introduced a dedicated score keeper. This person will handle most of score recording for the event and also update our backup recorder for event data.

We developed our backup strategy last year for score keeping when we had to make a major change to our event structure and Best Coast Pairings was no longer useable at the time. Due to increase ticket sales with the introduction of 8^th Edition, our event sold out and we had to increase our size. Unfortunately, due to a logistical issue we had to break the event down into 3 days. Day 1 was 1 qualification group. Day 2 was another group. We took the top half of each group for the finals on day 3.  The event ran pretty smooth just longer than we expected and we had to cancel some other events to make room for the Day 1 qualifications.

WA: Are you planning to hold your event again? Is this an annual event or even part of a series in your region and/or abroad? Any other events lined up that people should know about otherwise?

ED: Yes we plan to hold this event again. We are hoping to make this an annual event series. Presently, we have 5 event part of the series for Mid America Gaming Series Tournament Season.  Glass City GT, Cincycon CAGbash, Louisville Slugga. Circle City GT, and MAGS Grand Finale at Gencon. Gencon will be the end of the first season. We do plan to have a second season. Details will be forthcoming once we wrap up the first season.

The end of the first season of war in the Mid American Gaming Championship. 85-100 Competitors, approximately six months after LVO, three months post-Adepticon, and with the majority of the 40k Armies all having a codex… The Worthiest Adversary will be there, standing at the front lines, with their own army on the field as well!

“Your shrines will burn, your streets run with blood, your false idols shattered, your people slaughtered by the thousands, your very planet torn apart… and the barest fraction of my hatred will be satisfied.” – Ba’ar Zul the Hate-Bound, Warrior of Khorne

The game, Warhammer 40k, is more than just a table full of painted miniatures and dice rolling. The game is a medium for human engagement. And sometimes, we, the players and participants take that human engagement to the next level by stringing series of games together into RTTs, GTs, or Majors. A lot of the work that goes on behind the scenes of these events goes unnoticed and is by no means a lucrative business where the margins always pay out to a degree of monetary profit. But for us, that is not what it is about. Everyone wants to win, but everyone also knows that at the end of it, there will only be one champion. To build on that, Organizers have taken that to the next level, awarding Best Overall, Best General, Best Painted, Best Sport, etc. Not everyone is a winner, but different people excel at different parts of the comprehensive hobby, and where best to recognize it then in an annual event that gathers the best of the best from the locals, the region, and/or the world!

The Worthiest Adversary interviewed Brenden Chrustie on May 30, 2018, only a short time after he achieved Best General of the Plains of War GT. Simultaneously, the Adversary reached out to the team running the Plains of War GT to get their perspective. They were benevolent enough in their recovery to provide the readers with a great inside look into their event!

WA: Please provide a quick introduction (name or names of team, started playing 40k, how many events have you TO’ed, 40k army of choice and other hobbies or points of interest)

40BG: My name is Fabio Fiorentino, and I’m one of the co-founders of 40 Below Gaming, along with Scott Bewer. I have been playing 40K since 2003, and Scott has been playing since 1999. Scott and I have played many armies, but I have grown to really enjoy the Necrons and Scott is particularly a fan of his Eldar.

In terms of our tournament organizing (TO) experience, I would say we have TO’ed at least 24 events now. This does not include all the local gaming nights we have been putting on monthly, along with all of the other things 40BG does in the hobby. We are also very fortunate to have an extremely devoted supporting cast. Without these guys and gals Scott and myself would probably NEVER sleep, so I’d like to give a shout out to the 40BG team in full:

● Fabio (TO/Social Media/Podcast Host)
● Scott B.(TO/Graphic Design/Event Streams)
● Josh (Event Streams/Podcasts)
● David (Leagues)
● Logan (Rules Judge)
● Kate (Admin)
● Matthew (Podcast/Event Photographer)
● Steve (Rules/Rules Writer)
● Thurston (Podcast Host)
● Brenden (Podcast Host)
● Kyle (Rules/Podcast Host)
● Rob (AoS)
● Scott N.(Infinity)
● Scott C.(Infinity)

WA: Quick introduction of event (format and mission sets, venue, other members of the hosting team and any shout outs for credit and assistance, number of participants)

40BG: The Plains of War GT is an ITC event in its entirety. It’s a five-game, two-day event held at the Holiday Inn Winnipeg Airport Hotel (which has worked extremely well for us the last three years!), featuring Champions Missions 1-5. This year the points limit was set to 1,750, to help ensure games finished on time—so you can imagine how excited we were to see the Warhammer Grand Tournament adopt the same points limit some months later!

Our team for Plains of War was Scott, myself, Josh, Matthew, Logan, Kate, and Steve as our stand-in if we wound up with an uneven number of players. This does not include all the additional help we always receive from our community, and I would feel awful if I had forgotten anybody so I would like to give a general shout-out to all of our sponsors, the Grey Beards, and all the individuals that help with terrain, set-up and tear-down, feedback, etc. You know who you are and without each and every one of you we would not be able to do what we do!

As far as participant numbers go, we set the following numbers and consistently sell out:

● 40 Below Expo​—32 players for 40K
● Plains of War GT​—40 players
● Highlander​—32 players in 2017 (2018 TBA)
● Twin Eagles​—40 players

… [O]ur Best Overall award has become the most sought out award in our community. For a player to earn this award, they must excel in all aspects of the hobby; sportsmanship, painting & appearance, and generalship.

WA: General, overall feedback from participants?

40BG: Overall, really positive.

We do encourage constructive criticism simply because we do this purely for the community so any chance we have to make the experience better for them we certainly will do our best to do so. Some of the feedback we have received from Plains of War GT was that time still seemed to be an issue for some, so things like chess clocks were suggested. We also got some great feedback from our live stream viewers regarding possible new elements for our overlay, so I know we will be looking to incorporate some of those things for our next event.

One of the things people always leave positive comments on is our “Parking Lot” system. Each player is given a number at the time of registration, which corresponds to an assigned spot at a table near the gaming tables where they can put their army on display. This is that player’s unique spot for the entire event. This helps our paint judges with their job, as the judges can assign scores based on number and avoid any appearance of favoritism. This also helps players when they are voting for the Fan Favorite army, as we have found remembering names is a lot harder than just writing a number down. Finally, the Parking Lot does an amazing job of helping avoid clutter on gaming tables. Players are asked that once their game is done to move their things back to the space designated for their army—so not only is it out-of-the-way, but if they maybe come back a little later to the next game than others, their stuff hasn’t been moved on them.

Another thing people have seemed to like is that we have 3 separate judges who judge ALL the armies, and we as TOs take the average of the three scores to determine that players paint score. This again helps avoid any appearance of favoritism.

WA: What do you like about this format and mission set more so than others?

40BG:  Firstly, they are written in large part by the guys at Frontline Gaming, who have really paved the way for organized play. I had the opportunity to meet and chat with them in Vegas at one of their events, and seeing that their philosophies for the most part aligned with mine, I knew that if our events back home in Winnipeg stuck to their vision they would be not only successful but enjoyable to the overwhelming majority.

As for the missions/ format itself, we collectively like progressive scoring very much. Players who lose still get points, so there is always a reason to push on instead of giving up. Secondary missions are flexible, so players can select objectives that their army may stand a better chance at achieving.

WA: Did anything surprise you from the get go? List composition? Player behavior? Etc.

40BG: Our community is very interesting in the sense that the majority of players really don’t chase the current competitive meta. This means that list compositions are always a big question mark, which is very refreshing.

The only real “surprise” was a brief moment where Best Coast Pairings acted odd due to human error, but the guys responded to my questions almost immediately and got our issues sorted out.

As for player behaviour, the scene here is a little more laid back. Players enjoy organized play but the level of competitiveness I would say is nothing close to what is seen in events elsewhere. As TOs, we try to structure our event to encourage this. For example, our Best Overall award has become the most sought out award in our community. For a player to earn this award, they must excel in all aspects of the hobby; sportsmanship, painting & appearance, and generalship.

We also don’t put a lot of weight behind placing first in terms of prizes. We have trophies, of course, but as far as prizes go, they are all given away by raffle ticket or random door prize draws to help alleviate a potential cut-throat mentality on the table top.

WA: How do you think the new FAQ and beta rules impacted your event?

40BG:  It did not impact too much, honestly. There were some last-minute changes to lists, but for the most part most players seemed to have a pretty good idea of what they were bringing despite the FAQ.

This game has always been and will continue to be about adapting. Does everything work for all armies? No, but that is nothing new. Again, it comes down to the generals adapting to the changes, which is something I have always been fascinated about.

WA: What were some points of contention amongst players? Were any associated with the new FAQ and beta rules?

40BG: The Assault phase is a phase that still confuses people a little bit, so there were a few questions about that. The other questions that came up involved playing too slowly and keeping track of command points properly. These issues were very minor though. Our Rules Judge looked quite bored most of the time, which we were completely fine with.

It’s not easy getting 15+ volunteers on the same page, but our team has time and time again stepped up to the plate and “knocked it out of the park.”

WA: How did your event approach time available per game and did you notice a significant amount of players with issues finishing their games?

40BG:  As I mentioned above, we dropped our points from 2,000 to 1,750, which seemed to be received well by the overwhelming majority. We really did not want to move to something like chess clocks. In saying this, however, some games still did not finish, so this is still something we need to figure out.

In most of our events, Plains of War included, we have a large timer clock running on a projection screen at the front for everyone to see, which players have repeatedly told us is a major help as far as managing their game time goes.

WA: What are some lessons learned from your event that you would recommend to any other TO? (Try for at least two things that you think could have gone better and two things that were really knocked out of the park)

40BG:  Never underestimate the importance of the little stuff! Most people think running a tournament is simply booking a venue, finding terrain, bringing a laptop, and go go  go! Sure, these things are all important factors, but it’s the little things that really help sell the event to the players—making it more accessible, streamlined, etc. For example, Saturday morning when the paint judges arrived, I looked at Scott and asked him where the paint scoring sheets are, and he looks back at me and says “I thought you printed them!” Moments like that, while seemingly minor, can take a much greater impact on an event than one would assume. Luckily, we have a team of reliable staff who were able to take care of that issue immediately.

Which leads into something that 40BG prides ourselves in. We have an amazing team who always put in a solid effort. It’s not easy getting 15+ volunteers on the same page, but our team has time and time again stepped up to the plate and “knocked it out of the park.”

WA: Are you planning to hold your event again? Any other events lined up that people should know about otherwise?

40BG:  Of course! Plains of War 2019 will be hosted on June 1st and 2nd 2019 at the Holiday Inn Airport in Winnipeg, the same venue as it’s always been held at. In the 12 months before that, though, we have a handful of events also taking place—our Highlander tournament over the summer and our Twin Eagles doubles 40K event at the end of October, to name two. Both events tend to achieve similar numbers in terms of participants.

Thursday, May 31st at 7:30 PM Central Time, we will be announcing the tournament results on our podcast, The Dusty Auspex. Viewers can tune in to our Facebook Live feed, or find us on Twitch. These results will be posted to our webpage & Facebook page the following day.

We realize that you’ll likely get this after the podcast has concluded, but the video will be available on our YouTube page, just search 40 Below Gaming and our website as well.

The Worthiest Adversary applauds the team from 40 Below Gaming and those volunteers that assisted to make the Plains of War GT happen. Without selfless hours and sacrifice from other priorities, events like these would never happen. The Adversary hopes that players and other event organizers (or those with the potential for both!) can utilize the useful information that Fabio and Company have made available. The Plains of War GT is an exemplary standard for a GT and the Adversary appreciates the time given towards this interview!

“The roar of engines, the recoil of cannons. That is where the true joy of battle lies.” – Sergeant Antaro Chronus of the Ultramarines

BCP link to the Bayou Wars

Facebook link to the Bayou Wars

The Worthiest Adversary cannot be everywhere at once, but the war can. And the noosphere of the Omnissiah does not cease the stream of data. Therefore, the Worthiest Adversary brings you another battlefield to speak of. The dark clouds gather and the armies muster while the winds of Chaos surge strong in the Aether. Everyone else can picture this in Mississippi, because that is where it is going down!

On June 9 through June 10, hosted by the Gulf Coast Wargaming Alliance in D’iberville, MS, this event is going to be huge! 2000 point, battle forged, match play games with the new FAQ and beta rules and using the Warzone terrain rules (important differentiation for those playing). The missions are ITC Champion format and there is a painting requirement (rule of 3). Register using the BCP app as it will be used throughout. It is $20 to get in at the door to the staff of the venue and you need to pay $30 via PayPal, NOT BCP, to gulfcoastwargamingalliance@gmail.com for access to the event, so $50 total.

The event has been lauded far and wide as the time has drawn near. You can hear about it here with the Come the Apocalypse Podcast and here on the Best General Podcast from the guys running the show themselves (Battle Brothers of the GCWA) as they lay out their hopes, dreams, and goals that will soon come to fruition in a week or so. This is a Major, and one that, as described by the GCWA themselves, is shooting for the mark of LVO, but in Mississipi. There is a lot going on here, and not just with the Major ITC event, so enjoy the venue and enjoy the town along with the great company of the other players, currently about 50 registered and with more to come!

The Worthiest Adversary will be tracking this war closely and will report accordingly as the dust settles. The FAQ is in play, the armies are adapting, the meta is set to be made! Best of luck to everyone making their warrior’s pilgrimage to Mississippi and we shall see who stands atop the mountain of corpses victorious, soon enough. And you will know their name when the Worthiest Adversary announces it. Sound the trumpets! No this is too much, over the top, just stop…

To be a man in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruelest and most bloody regime imaginable. These are the tales of those times. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be re-learned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in the grim dark future there is only war. There is no peace amongst the stars, only an eternity of carnage and slaughter, and the laughter of thirsting gods.

BCP link to the Louisville Slugga

Facebook link to the Louisville Slugga

The Worthiest Adversary is on the Warpath. Next week, June 9 through June 10 at Heroes Comics and Gaming in downtown Louisville, KY. Five rounds of Warhammer 40k, 2000 point battle forged games for match play. Registration is $50, covering some provided food and drinks per day as well as prize support. The Slugga is a part of the Mid America Gaming Series (MAGS) which culminates at GENCON with the grand finale on August 3 through August 4.

Louisville is a great town that can accommodate a large group of 40k players easily and is centrally located to not be too far of a drive from the South East, North East, and Mid America. Put on by the Bourbon Brothers Wargaming Club, an awesome group of guys, for the first time ever, the Louisville Slugga features a mission set written by none other than Paul Murphy, host of the Forge the Narrative podcast. Find those missions here.

The missions are unique in some ways. With random game turns, primary objectives vary from progressives to end game, to also include the utilization of relics in one of the missions. Secondaries can vary just as widely from board control to something like Big Game Hunter but being set for both characters rather than an a la carte of player choices. Tertiary objectives are the same for each mission, earning one point for every full 500 points that a player can destroy. The Adversary’s favorite part of these missions is the scoring of primary objectives. At a glance, and maybe a few test games, it should be difficult for competitive opponents to score against one another to the effect of a landslide one way or the other. The next big piece to understand is that there is no continuation of the game post-tabling. If you table your opponent, put your dice down and start tallying your score because your game is over right then! So play with strategy, not just for the sheer kill, you blood thirsty berserkers! Turn one tabling might just mean a draw for primary objectives!

At the time of this article being published, approximately 40 players (and counting) are expected in attendance, some of those are competitive adversaries from across the region and beyond.

Registration is still open and many more are welcome. Lists were technically due today, May 31, but there is no penalty for late submission, only some possible raffle prizes for those who submitted them in a timely fashion!

The Worthiest Adversary is on the Warpath and looks forward to rolling dice across from you at the Louisville Slugga!

“We is gonna stomp da universe flat and kill anyfink that fights back. we’re da Orks, and was made ta fight and win.” – Ghazghkull Mag Uruk Thraka

The Worthiest Adversary here, interviewing the recently crowned Best General of the Plains of War GT, Brenden Chrustie! Thanks to the wonders of modern technology and social media, the Worthiest Adversary first took note of the Plains of War GT over a week ago and lurked in the shadows until the timing was right and began to report! The Plains of War GT was 38 players strong and presented by Hidden City Comics and occurred in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Some matches were even streamed and worthwhile as it appeared great games were occurring. As the dust settled at the Plains of War GT, one player was still standing, Brenden Chrustie. The Worthiest Adversary acknowledges that METAs might vary widely from region to region or even across continents, but standing at the top of a GT or Major event is no small feat, and is a valuable perspective to interrogate!

” It is a typical shooting list where I pretty much forego any close combat to bring more guns to the table.”

+ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium – Astra Militarum) [26 PL, 422pts] +
+ Regimental Doctrine: Cadian

+ HQ +
Company Commander [2 PL, 31pts]: Bolt pistol, Chainsword
Company Commander [2 PL, 30pts]: Chainsword, Grand Strategist, Kurov’s Aquila, Laspistol, Warlord
Primaris Psyker [2 PL, 46pts]: Force Stave, Psychic Barrier, Psychic Maelstrom

+ Troops +
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 52pts] . 7x Guardsman . Heavy Weapon Team: Autocannon . Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 52pts] . 7x Guardsman . Heavy Weapon Team: Autocannon . Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 52pts] . 7x Guardsman . Heavy Weapon Team: Autocannon . Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

+ Elites +
Astropath [1 PL, 30pts]: Gaze of the Emperor, Laspistol
Astropath [1 PL, 30pts]: Laspistol, Psychic Maelstrom

+ 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

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium – Astra Militarum) [54 PL, 950pts] ++ Regimental Doctrine: Cadian

+ HQ +
Knight Commander Pask [13 PL, 247pts]: Lascannon, Plasma Cannons . Command Executioner: Turret-mounted Executioner Plasma Cannon
Tank Commander [12 PL, 211pts]: Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolters . Command Punisher: Turret-mounted Punisher Gatling Cannon

+ Troops +
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 52pts] . 7x Guardsman . Heavy Weapon Team: Autocannon . Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 52pts] . 7x Guardsman . Heavy Weapon Team: Autocannon . Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol
Infantry Squad [3 PL, 52pts] . 7x Guardsman . Heavy Weapon Team: Autocannon . Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

+ Heavy Support +
Leman Russ Battle Tanks [20 PL, 336pts] . Leman Russ Battle Tank: Battle Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolters . Leman Russ Battle Tank: Battle Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolters

++ Outrider Detachment +1CP (Imperium – Astra Militarum) [20 PL, 378pts] ++ Regimental Doctrine: Catachan
+ HQ +
PrimarisPsyker [2 PL, 46pts]: Force Stave, Gaze of the Emperor, Nightshroud

+ Fast Attack +
Hellhounds [6 PL, 110pts] . Hellhound: Heavy Flamer, Turret-mounted Inferno Cannon
Hellhounds [6 PL, 110pts] . Hellhound: Heavy Flamer, Turret-mounted Inferno Cannon
Hellhounds [6 PL, 112pts] . Hellhound: Heavy Flamer, Storm Bolter, Turret-mounted Inferno Cannon

++ Total: [100 PL, 1750pts] ++

WA: Quick introduction (name, stomping grounds, started playing 40k, other hobbies or points of interest)

BC: Well I have been playing this hobby since I was ten years old when I first noticed a Games-workshop in a local mall. I was hooked by the models and really wanted to get into it. The army that caught my attention the most was Imperial Guard and my first model was a Heavy Weapons Team. Since then they have been my go-to army through each edition of the game. My stomping grounds are Winnipeg, Manitoba and 40k is my nerd hobby of choice (next to AOS)! I started getting more involved with tournaments around 2016. I still participated in events earlier but it usually was only one or two a year. Since then I have been able to get a decent amount of local tournament wins here in Manitoba.

WA: Best placing at a GT and/or Major event? Playing what army and in what edition?

BC: The first GT I ever went to was the Dark Star GT in Minneapolis, Minnesota where I won best Imperial Guard back in 5th edition. Was pretty pumped to have taken home a plaque at my first GT. I also won Best Overall at last year’s Plains of War towards the very end of 7th edition.

WA: Most Recent GT or Majors event attended and placing? Playing what army?

BC: Winning Best Overall at last year’s Plains of War with Imperial Guard and an allied Raptor Wing and placing 8th at Slaugherhouse GT with Imperial Guard when 8th edition was only a month old.

WA: What did you think of that event overall?

BC: The guys at Plains of War run a fantastic event! Very well organized with fantastic tables that have a variety of interesting terrain that is also great line of sight blocking. They were able to keep pretty much on the schedule they set, had good prize support from different organizations, and provided an excellent stream where viewers could tune in and watch some games! Next year they are planning to move up to a Major standard which would be awesome for the province of Manitoba as there are no Majors nearby unless you are willing to travel.

WA: Break down your list, how does it work and function in general? 

BC: My list is meant to provide my opponent with a variety of threats for them to deal with. It is a typical shooting list where I pretty much forego any close combat to bring more guns to the table. I want to keep my opponent at arm’s reach, but if they close the distance I still have tools that I can utilize to eliminate those threats quickly so I can start targeting the units that are trailing behind.

WA: What were you preparing for going into the event? Expectations regarding missions and opposing lists?

BC: I knew they were using ITC missions which are pretty straightforward once you understand them. I expected to see a lot of Alaitoc Eldar as I knew that it is a strong army in the right general’s hands. But I did expect to see quite a diversity in the armies and lists as the big Spring FAQ has really changed up how people are running competitive lists.

WA: Once you got there, what was new or different that you saw but had not anticipated?

BC: The one thing that really caught me off guard was the lack of Craftworld Eldar. I believe there were only three players running that specific faction out of the 40 players that showed. Otherwise, the diversity in armies was certainly present, as I expected.

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?

BC: My first matchup was against a local player, Noah Joseph. It was my first time playing against Noah and his Tau but it was a fantastic game and he was a stand up guy to play against! His Tau list was quite balanced with marker light support, MSU of Fire Warriors, and some long-range support. He was able to go first and do some damage to my Guard but my counterattack was fierce and he just could not recover from it. I won 37-16 but Noah and I both had a blast throughout our whole game.

WA: Second Match up? 

BC: My second game was against a Grand Forks local, Chase Garber who was rocking Dark Eldar (sorry Drukhari). He had a very melee focused list with Grotesques, Wracks, some Wyches and a decent amount of boats. Again, first turn went to Chase. Suffice to say he certainly closed the distance quickly as I was expecting. A few clutch psychic powers to kill characters engaged with my tanks, allowed me to have the firepower I needed to eliminate key threats in his army. My mortars were great this game by being able to shred through the nine man squads of warriors that he had disembarked from destroyed Raiders. My favourite moment had to have been when I used my Punisher Russ on an Archon with one wound that still had his shield. Even a 2+ invulnerable cannot survive 40 shots! The game ended 30-26. It was a really tight game going both ways but by turn three it was starting to swing in my direction.

WA: Third Match up? 

BC: My last game of the day was against another gentleman from Grand Forks, Cyle Thompson. I knew going into this game it was going to be a rough one. Cyle had a battalion of Guard with 5 hellhounds, a battalion of Blood Angels with close combat Captains and Mephiston, and a supreme command of those lovely Custodes Shield Captains on bikes. He was rocking lots of CP recycling options to keep his stratagems going. This game I was able to go first which really helped me eliminate his forward scout elements and either kill or hurt some hellhounds. It also gave me an additional turn of shooting which was key. The Shield Captains made my lines fairly quickly and (obviously) were the hardest thing for me to kill but the ability to get mortal wounds on them really allowed my Leman Russ’s to finish them off. The game was very bloody and had both of us thinking hard on what we needed to do. I had a really close moment in this game where I got Pask to shoot a single side sponson plasma cannon at a two wound Mephiston and then fire everything else at a Shield Captain with around five wounds remaining. The Emperor smiled on me that day as I was able to get both of those characters with that round of Pasks shooting. The game ended 31-24 in my favour again and concluded day one of the tournament and what a tough day it was!

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?

BC: After day one I was feeling really good about my games and felt fairly confident going into day two. I had three really good opponents on day one. The gentleman from Grand Forks are big ITC players themselves and I knew they went to a lot of events. I expected them to be some of the toughest guys I would have to play at any point of the tournament. Going into day two and knowing that I was going to be up against a fast-moving Harlequin force, I prepared my deployment strategy to keep those fast moving clowns away from my heavy hitting tanks.

WA: Fourth Match up? 

BC: Game four on day two was against Brandon, Manitoba’s own Jason Wells and his Harlequin force. I will give full props to Jason because the event was not using the new Codex. Harlequins had been within the cut off date for use of the new Codex. He was running an all index force! His list implemented speed with two, four man bike squads, a couple troupes in transports and a detachment of Craftworld with a squad of Dark Reapers. Jason got first turn and proceeded to be in my face turn one and in combat with my guard squads. Fortunately, I had created a good defensive ring of guard bodies to protect my tanks from getting tied up. In my turn I knew I would have to hit back hard or else I would really struggle. With a combination of good psychic powers, useful stratagems, Hellhounds auto hitting, and the Leman Russ’s putting out good firepower, I was able to destroy almost 75% of Jason’s army. From that point on it was a cleanup job for the Guard. I was able to get the win, 34-11.

WA: Fifth Match up?

BC: The last game of the day was up against Michael Knudsen and his Dark Eldar (Drukhari, I am used to the old, non-copyright names). His list was the more typical DE list I expected which utilized lots of boats with shooting, three Ravagers with Disintegrator cannons, and some Wyches to quickly move up the board. I knew this was going to be another tough match up because of all the models the DE had and how quickly it could get across the board. True to most of the tournament my opponent went first and was in my face turn one. Utilizing the age-old tactic of meat shield I was able to protect my tanks from getting tied up. The guard squads took a beating but I have to say they were awesome in this game. Taking charges from Wyches and then proceeding to hit back with bayonets was pretty sweet. Pask was killed turn one but the two Battle Cannon Leman Russ’s were up to the task on taking on the Ravagers. The Hellhounds were amazing as well. They were able to hit the venoms and destroy them to get the squishy Eldar inside. I even had one Hellhound survive through a torrent of Disintegrator fire for three whole turns and ended the game with a single wound left! The game ended with the Guard being able to grind out the DE and push through to the end. Final score, 33-12 for the Guard!

WA: Final roll up and placing? Having rehashed everything, what are your thoughts now?

BC: As the awards ceremony started I was able to bring home Best General and Best Imperium with my 1st place finish. Looking back on my games it was crazy how so many of the lists I went up against were in my face very quickly. They were able to apply a lot of pressure that I needed to react quickly to. I was very happy to see that my list was able to withstand such pressure and push back to get the wins.

WA: What do you think of the mission sets?

BC: I like the 8th edition ITC missions. When I went to Slaughterhouse GT last year they were still using the 7th edition set. Games were close but scores did not represent the games well at all. I really like that even though you can lose games in ITC, you can still get a decent amount of points to push you in the next couple of rounds.

WA: What are you planning on changing in your list?

BC: This is a list that I have been working at since the start of 8th and the drop of the Guard codex. I wanted to have a list with tough vehicles that can put out good firepower, but still have enough bodies that can hold objectives and provide cover for my tanks. The second Astropath with the psychic beam was probably the least useful model added to the army. The only reason he was included was because I had to get rid of my fourth mortar team because of the rule of three. In future lists at 2000 points he will probably be dropped for something more useful or just be upgraded to a Primaris Psyker because I like the mortal wounds/buffing the psykers can provide.

WA: What’s next on your schedule?

BC: My next planned tournament is Slaughterhouse GT in July which is 2000 points. I will probably re-modify this current list to accommodate another 250 points and make some decisions on some current units that can make room for something a little more useful. I will certainly be staying pure Guard as I believe that it is still competitive all on its own. I was also asked to attend a tournament in Brandon, Manitoba in June as Jason wants a rematch with his Codex Harlequin army.

WA: Any parting thoughts for the audience?

BC: I feel like I said so much that if you made it this far you just want me to shut up (Haha!). But seriously, if you are looking to go to tournaments bring an army that you feel comfortable with and enjoy! Playing to the meta is great and all but it feels more rewarding to get wins with an army that you enjoy/been working with for a while. Whether it’s a few months or years I find it’s better to find an army that you enjoy aesthetically and/or lore wise. I know that is what I did when I first started 40k and I have not looked back! Thanks for reading and good luck to all those that play 40k!

Brenden Chrustie rocked the Guard back in 5th edition and now here in 8th edition, keeping in-your-face armies at bay while he blasted them off the table with reliable Imperial Vehicles. For everyone reading out there, this interview offers some solid insight into how Guard operates and what they need to ensure victory, range. It is very clear that Brenden faced down some strong players that ranged from bleeding edge codexes to even a hard core index Army, which was in first place as of day one! A big thank you to Brenden for his time and well-versed responses that are so crucial to the purpose of the Worthiest Adversary! The Plains of War GT readily appears as a class act event and one that will likely garner more attention next year!

An exciting element of a GT is the amount of rounds. A two day event can allow for a lot of fluctuating scores and just looking at who is where at the end of day one does not offer the best odds at the horse races. The Adversary offers the insight of competitive players at competitive events that are forging the META locally and abroad, and maybe offers just enough knowledge that the readers can improve themselves upon their own warpaths as well!

“Though our tanks and artillery are mighty, it is the vast ranks of Imperial Guardsmen that shall trample the enemy to dust – let them come.”
– Lord Castellan Ursarkar E. Creed

The Adversary first encountered Chris Blackham in passing at Warzone: SCARAB 2018 where he was playing a great Tyranid list that saw him nearly take the Best General there. The Best Coast Pairings App showed his name scale the ranks at Adepticon and the Adversary had the pleasure of meeting Chris again at Warzone: Atomic Empire. Chris is an excellent player and a great person. For the first interview by the Worthiest Adversary, Chris set the standard going forward. Chris’ list was included up front so that readers can see what was brought to Atomic Empire and how it played into the descriptions of Chris’ games.

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Aeldari – Drukhari) [37 PL, 724pts] ++
Detachment Attribute: Kabal of the Obsidian Rose

+ HQ +
Archon [4 PL, 93pts]: Blaster, Huskblade
Archon [4 PL, 96pts]: Blaster, Huskblade, Phantasm Grenade Launcher

+ Troops +
Kabalite Warriors [2 PL, 47pts] . 3x Kabalite Warrior . Kabalite Warrior with special weapon: Blaster . Sybarite: Splinter Rifle
Kabalite Warriors [2 PL, 47pts] . 3x Kabalite Warrior . Kabalite Warrior with special weapon: Blaster . Sybarite: Splinter Rifle
Kabalite Warriors [2 PL, 47pts] . 3x Kabalite Warrior . Kabalite Warrior with special weapon: Blaster . Sybarite: Splinter Rifle
Kabalite Warriors [2 PL, 47pts] . 3x Kabalite Warrior . Kabalite Warrior with special weapon: Blaster . Sybarite: Splinter Rifle + Elites +
Kabalite Trueborn (Index) [5 PL, 87pts] . Dracon: Splinter Rifle . Kabalite Trueborn with Special Weapon: Shredder . Kabalite Trueborn with Special Weapon: Shredder . Kabalite Trueborn with Special Weapon: Shredder . Kabalite Trueborn with Special Weapon: Shredder

+ Dedicated Transport +
Venom [4 PL, 65pts]: Splinter Cannon, Twin splinter rifle
Venom [4 PL, 65pts]: Splinter Cannon, Twin splinter rifle
Venom [4 PL, 65pts]: Splinter Cannon, Twin splinter rifle
Venom [4 PL, 65pts]: Splinter Cannon, Twin splinter rifle

++ Spearhead Detachment +1CP (Aeldari – Drukhari) [51 PL, 894pts] ++
Detachment Attribute: Kabal of the Black Heart

+ HQ +
Archon [4 PL, 89pts]: Blaster, Venom Blade – Warlord – Lab Cunning and Writ of the living muse

+ Heavy Support +
Ravager [7 PL, 125pts]: Disintegrator cannon, Disintegrator cannon, Disintegrator cannon Ravager [7 PL, 125pts]: Disintegrator cannon, Disintegrator cannon, Disintegrator cannon Ravager [7 PL, 125pts]: Disintegrator cannon, Disintegrator cannon, Disintegrator cannon

+ Flyer +
Razorwing Jetfighter [8 PL, 135pts]: Twin splinter rifle . 2 Disintegrator Cannons: 2x Disintegrator cannon
Razorwing Jetfighter [8 PL, 135pts]: Twin splinter rifle . 2 Disintegrator Cannons: 2x Disintegrator cannon

+ Dedicated Transport +
Raider [5 PL, 80pts]: Disintegrator cannon Raider [5 PL, 80pts]: Disintegrator cannon

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Aeldari – Drukhari) [21 PL, 382pts] ++
Detachment Attribute: Cult of the Red Grief

+ HQ + Succubus [4 PL, 60pts]: Archite Glaive, Blast Pistol +1 Attack Succubus [4 PL, 60pts]: Archite Glaive, Blast Pistol +2 movement

+ Troops +
Wyches [2 PL, 45pts] +1 Toughness . Hekatrix: Hekatarii blade, Splinter pistol . 3x Wych . Wych with Wych Weapon: Shardnet and impaler
Wyches [2 PL, 44pts] +1 Weapon Skill . Hekatrix: Hekatarii blade, Splinter pistol . 3x Wych . Wych with Wych Weapon: Hydra gauntlets
Wyches [4 PL, 93pts] +1 Strength . Hekatrix: Hekatarii blade, Splinter pistol . 6x Wych . Wych with Wych Weapon: Hydra gauntlets . Wych with Wych Weapon: Shardnet and impaler . Wych with Wych Weapon: Hydra gauntlets

+ Dedicated Transport +
Raider [5 PL, 80pts]: Disintegrator cannon

WA: Quick introduction (name, stomping grounds, started playing 40k, other hobbies or points of interest)

CB: So I have been in and out of this hobby since I was about 12 years old. That’s over 25 years of raging about GW prices. 40k is my main game. I love this 40k edition more than any previous, but my fondest memories are of playing Necromunda in the 1990s. I am from England and moved over to North Carolina about 4 years ago. There is not that much different between America and England regarding the hobby but I would say Americans put in more effort with the painting.

WA: Best placings at a GT and/or Majors event? Playing what army and in what edition?

CB: Generally I am very much a bridesmaid and have several 2 GT 2nd places in US and UK. I did win best general at ATC in 2016 with Chaos Dog Star in 7th edition.

WA: Most recent GT or Majors event attended and placing? Playing what army?

CB: Warzone:Atomic Empire 3rd (out of 54) with Drukhair (Kabal and Wych cult) Adepticon 6th (250+ players) with Flyrants and Shadowsword.

WA: What did you think of that event overall?

CB: Atomic Empire is a great venue as I can buy and drink beer all weekend. The event was run by Horton and Twitch. These are two good friends of mine so I might be a bit biased but it might be one of the best events in the world! It promotes all parts of the hobby (painting, sports and playing!).

WA: Break down your list, how does it work and function in general? (Short summary, in-depth not required unless you want to)

CB: When designing a list I often think about defense before offense. I generally want my army to be all chaff or really tough. I don’t like mixed armies. I like to remove half of my opponents weapons from being efficient. With Drukhari you can go all mech, and also out range your opponent. As I didn’t own any Coven going into this tournament (I own nearly everything else), I thought I would play all mech and the range game. I used two kabals, black heart for ‘Agents of Vect’ and 6+++ on vehicles, and the Obsidian Rose for +6 inch to weapons range (guys inside vehicles). 24 inch blasters and 18 inch shredders = money. Then I had a small wych cult for the counter assault. The plan was to sit back and shoot them to death.

WA: What were you preparing for going into the event? Expectations regarding missions and opposing lists?

CB: I thought I would see a lot of guard (with BA or Custodes shield captains) and 1k sons (smite spam). I didn’t want to play mass chaff with character spam behind as my shooting (while amazing) doesn’t like to be wasted on 4pt models. I knew any progressive missions might be trouble for me, as I like to do the 5th edition Eldar trick (sit back and shoot until last turn jump onto objectives). Also in this list I had a lot of kill points so I knew I had to play cagey in those missions.

WA: Once you got there, what was new or different that you saw but had not anticipated?

CB: As this event really promotes the painting and theme, I knew I would see all types of armies and not just the competitive ones. I was surprised there were only a couple Drukhari players given how strong they are. There were a lot of imperial guard super heavies that I was hoping to avoid these if possible (unless I rolled 1st turn).

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?

CB: Vs Ricky Addington. Ricky is amazing to play against, he is a bubble of joy! He was playing Primaris Dark Angels. Note to everyone, Primaris HATE Drukhari! HATE! Since every Drukhari player in the world takes 3 ravagers with [disintegrators], they just pick up squads of expensive primaris. I feel any competitive Primaris player needs to figure out a way to cope vs Drukhari, sadly I don’t know how. Max points. Ricky went first in this game but the return fire was too much.

WA: Second match up?

CB: I played against a local friend/great player James McCoy who was playing Eldar. It was Ynarri, bikes, reapers and flyers. James went first, and killed 3/4 transports but another army that hates 3 ravagers with [disintegrators] is Ynarri. Being able to shut down key stratagems (intercept, clutch psychic power rerolls, fall back and act normal etc) is very powerful and stops Eldar performing. It was a progressive mission and took a while for my army to take control but given how strong my beta strike was it wasn’t too long. Unless Eldar take wave serpent spam mixed with flyers, they struggle versus the Drukhari. Strong victory.

WA: Third match up?

CB: Played against David Fields, I think he is from South Carolina. He is a great player, it was a super close game until his dice went super cold and my went hot. He was playing Tau and went first. He got off a decent alpha strike, with the giant flamer suit and big stealth suits. Boy, those drones are annoyingly good. I eventually got through all the drones and started to roll some serious damage (Blasters FTW!). Close win.

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?

CB: I think I was sitting about 5/6th and the fact I went 2nd in every game I was feeling very good. I was hoping to roll 1st turn in my next 2 games and win the event. If my Drukhari list gets first turn, it can often be absolutely crippling.

WA: Fourth match up?

CB: So I was paired up with Warzone Atlanta Bridesman Collin Watts (he has been 2nd a lot there). He was playing 1k sons mass infantry (two tzaangor bombs) and character support. I have played vs this list before with my friend and know how it can go. If 1k sons gets first turn and buffs the Tzaangors and they make the charge (using the relic and all the rerolls) it is very tough as the Tzaangors with -1 and 4++ can be awfully hard to kill, then they can overwhelm you with the 2nd bomb and characters.. However if I can first and due to my speed and range can delete the first Tzaangor bomb it is tricky for them to recover. 1k sons won the roll and dominated field position, I couldn’t get out and as it was progressives he won a tight game. It was very tactical game and he played a very smart game (plus he made all his Tzaangor charges). Watch out WZ Atlanta 2018, this is a very good list and he looks on form… Close Loss

WA: Fifth match up?

CB: Davis Frye and his last-minute put together army. It sounds like it should be an easy game right? No, as Austin Wingfield had come up with this army from the bits they had… and if you know Austin you know its going to be a great list. 3 Custodes Shield Captains (they might as well put these games in the AM codex) and AM tanks (mixture of plasma Leman Russes and a Shadowsword) Davis had done very well and was a great player/guy. HOWEVER!!! I FINALLY WENT FIRST!! The +1 to first turn seemingly meant nothing, so when he got the +1 I had good change… I got lucky and got first. I crippled his Shadowsword and moved up field. He shot back and killed a vehicle but i was able to neutralize his main weapon (Shadowsword with all the sponsons and with a Trojan). I then just slowly killed his army and tagged his tanks. If he goes first, it’s a whole different game. Major Win

WA: Final roll up and placing? Having rehashed everything, what are your thoughts now?

CB: Final Result – 3rd place Overall, I am happy. I was expecting this type of performance, given how stupidly under costed Drukhari are (NERF BAT COMING!, BUT it better be at the same time Custodes Shield Captains!). I think with a bit of luck I could have won it all.

WA: What did you think of the mission sets?

CB: Missions overall were good, I liked the mixture. Some missions could do with some small tweaks but I liked it. Twitch is the man when it comes to mission design (assuming it was him!)

WA: What are you planning on changing in your list?

CB: For the first time in forever, I took an army that I already owned prior to the codex drop. I didn’t have to buy anything and the painting I had to do was very minor. This felt good. However, it wasn’t my optimized list. I might disagree with a lot of Drukhari players but I think Venoms are average, and raiders are superior. I plan to remove all the venoms… I had 4 and will go to 0 and buy more raiders!. I am probably going to get some mandrakes ordered and painted. Mandrakes in Raiders = $$$$$$$. I am probably still going to mix Rose and Heart Kabals as this combination is seriously strong. I have been tempted to have Coven but I like playing the range game with this army. However, in ITC formats there is a super strong case for Coven.

WA: What’s next on your schedule?

CB: I have some local events but I am travelling home to England and home to attend a GT there (100 player). Also later in the year I will go to NoVa and Warzone Atlanta (if I can get a ticket). in 2019 I aim to go to Vegas!

WA: Any parting thoughts for the audience?

CB: Drukhari is the strongest codex I have ever played with. I am a Xenos only player (Crons, DE, Nids and Genestealer Cult) and I have never had it so good. I would like to briefly talk about the one thing I don’t like about 8th. First turn alpha strikes… I know…What a douche, he runs an army that is the ultimate alpha strike! I feel GW made a big mistake going from the previous editions deployment methods (counter deployment if going 2nd). In this current style of deployment it is hard to counter deploy safely. PLEASE GW go back to counter deployment style!!! This edition would be even better if people could safely hide from my shooty spam list! (and vice versa ;-)). Why reward the player who goes first with such a big advantage!!!?? WHY GW WHY!!??! (esp with new BETA rules!)

And on that great parting shot, my interview with Chris was over. The Adversary salutes Chris Blackham and wishes him luck in his future endeavors to champion a major event. The vantage that Chris has brought to light is one of many competitive players and one  that all of the readers can hopefully appreciate. Not everyone plays Drukhari themselves, but anyone can expect to play against Drukhari. This interview is chock full of lessons learned, tried, and tested by Chris and his opponents.

This is the goal of the Worthiest Adversary, right here, conveying the current Warhammer 40k gaming environment from the players and events themselves. Find out what is winning, what is working, and what is not working, and why, as the dust settles at each event along the Adversary’s war path. Take this information to the table top, and play. Your Adversary is waiting.

Tune in next time as the Adversary delves into the event itself, Warzone: Atomic Empire.

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

– Sun Tzu, The Art of War

I just don’t like the way I sound when I hear my own voice. Enough so that I would find myself hard pressed to consider regular attendance in a podcast if I was even invited to begin with. But I think a lot of podcasts out there are great and worth listening to. I am also a fiend for information. I would rather receive as much information, news, statistics, etc. and sort through it myself than know that someone withheld degrees of information because they thought it unneeded. Call it the bureaucrat in me. So, here’s a small tangent regarding my work and where I move every few years, which enables me to engage and become great friends in different regions with all sorts of awesome 40k players. The wonders of technology allow us to stay in touch and compare notes. Between that and what everyone publishes or records, I would say there is a healthy amount of information out there for anyone with the time.

The list I am providing below is by no means prioritized in any sort of order but I hope enables someone in their quest for some information. If a reader out there notices a good podcast that they would recommend that is not on my list, by all means, recommend away. I have not found a podcast that I will not listen to yet on 40k.

Allies of Convenience
Forge the Narrative
Come the Apocalypse
Frontline Gaming
Veterans of the Long War
Splintermind: Dark Eldar Podcast
Best in Faction Podcast
Facing the Grey Tide Podcast
The Best General, A Warhammer 40k Podcast
The Independent Characters Warhamer 40k Podcast

Websites and other blogs that I follow for the hobby and tactica are listed below.

Battle Brothers of the GCWA
The Glacial Geek
The Dark Artisan
Bell of Lost Souls
Spikey Bits
Gamza the Eternal
Field of Fire Gaming
Invasive Wargaming 40k
Purge the Alien
The Brown Magic
3plusplus
Blog for the Blood God
The Crossroads
Glasshammer Gaming
Extreme Table Top Gaming
Tactnetgaming Blog

Sites I follow for painting and hobby information are provided below:

Ironheaded Painting
Model Magic Studio
Beyond the Brush Studios (Currently under construction)
Secret Weapon Miniatures
Lil Legend Studio
Fear This Kustoms

This is a living post and I will continue to update it accordingly. I will also add a section on other blogs and places where articles are posted.

And yes, I do follow all of these simultaneously.

The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance. – Ahzek Ahriman

This is not the time for an origin story. I will save that uninteresting story for later.

But for now, I am the Worthiest Adversary. Not the worthiest, not yet. But I intend on it.

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front): I want to capture not just my personal journey but the endeavors at multiple levels of players at each event that I am attending for the rest of the 2018 ITC season.

This is not just a personal journal of my experiences as another player of Warhammer 40k. I will capture bring and interview all sorts of players, given their consent and participation (of course), to light, and the efforts they have taken to achieve what they might. I do not have any long term or immediate standing as a victor or champion. There is absolutely nothing special about me. If anything, I am a rather unassuming fellow, but beyond my local RTTs, here is my warpath to LVO 2019:

2-3JUN The Warlord’s Crucible @ Hard Knox Games in Elizabeth Town, KY (GT, Not ITC)
9-10JUN The Louisville Slugga @ Heroes Comics & Gaming in Louisville, KY (MAGS ITC GT)
7-8JUL The Circle City GT @ Family Time Games in Indianapolis, IN (MAGS ITC GT)
13-15JUL American Team Championship @ Chattanooga, TN (ITC Major)
3-5AUG GENCON @ Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis, IN (MAGS ITC Major)
31AUG-2SEP Nova Open @ Hyatt Regency Hotel in Arlington, VA (ITC Major)
14-16SEP Warzone: Come the Apocalypse @ Dothan, AL (ITC GT)
27-28OCT Barnyard Brawl Fall Event @ Knights of Siena, Greenville, SC (ITC GT)
9-11NOV Warzone: Atlanta @ Atlanta, GA (ITC Major)
8-10FEB Las Vegas Open 2019 @ Bally’s Casino (ITC Major)

I have met plenty of good and some great friends through 40k and I’ve met some okay to amazing to the truly best players. I have no doubt, given the schedule above that I am likely to have a pairing against many more. Some of those are aspiring for the best, the top tier, the championship. Others are more concerned with having a good time than winning. All good and welcome. I look forward to every game before me.

Beyond that, a shout out to Adam Abramowicz, host of The Best General Podcast. His endeavors on his show contributed to the motivation behind this platform. I have joked with a spare few at the mention of his Podcast that Adam unknowingly has his own nemesis, in the best spirited way, toward his goal of achieving Best General at Warzone: Atlanta. Someone else made the joke, “yeah, you and everyone else think they’re his nemesis…” I laughed maniacally a little before I then put my mind to this, a blog.

Let the Galaxy burn. — Horus Lupercal