Wednesday 24 September 2014

Blog Wars 8 - The Reckoning


Alex at From the Fang has finally got round to releasing tickets for Blog Wars 8 so I've got in there sharpish and booked a ticket. PeteB is also interested but his transition from Eldar to Space Wolves means he may not have a fully painted force by November 8th in which case he may just come along for the experience.

However, I have persuaded both Ben and Liam to join in. Liam's got his ticket and will be 'forced' to play with his Dark Eldar. they're absolutely stunning, one of my favorite armies of his to look at that is. Playing against them is a frikkin nightmare.


And Ben will be taking his Necrons. The list building rules for BW8 are a little unique and certainly not without quite a few limitations. This has forced us all to be economical with our army choices and hence Liam's Dark Eldar and Ben's old standbys being dusted off.




I will of course be taking my nids, for their third outing at Blog Wars [hopefully the Dark Angels will be ready for Blog Wars 9]. I will definitely be taking my Skyshield, it means I won't get a Quad Gun, so I'll struggle a bit with anti-air but I did promise Alex I would take it seeing as it didn't get a run out last time. I'm struggling a bit with my list because there is only one Combined Arms Detachment allowed and you must take a Special Character, unfortunately most of the nids are HQ choices so that means I lose a second Winged Tyrant to replace it with Deathleaper :( I can't even add a Leviathan data slate as Formations aren't allowed [I could have taken the Deathleaper Assassin Squad, although the Special Character has to be in your CAD...]. 

It's quite frustrating really, but I'm in full support of Alex running it this way, it's his tournament and he has to run it as he sees fit and by the looks of it keeping track of all the possibilities in 7th is a nightmare so why shouldn't he make it simpler. However, 7th is an embarrassment of riches and it's a bit tough to go back to 'meat and two veg' after haute cuisine! Still it means being creative and I may run a few interesting oldies but goodies for the giggles. On the plus side I am going to get a Deathleaper model so I'm no longer using Death as my proxy ;) Of course that means I have to paint him and he's not on my list :(

15 comments:

  1. No formations allowed? Uggggg.....He just cut out 3/4 of your codex. I don't know if I could stand by and not raise a stink about that one. Nid's were definitely designed around the double CAD or single cad + formation. Without it, their lack of ally ability really punches you in the face. (especially if CTA allies are banned as well).

    Can you at least ally with yourself?

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    1. Well the rules pack is evolving so we'll have to see. At the moment you cannot ally with yourself and no 'come the Apocalypse'. Formations have been granted, beyond just a single character formation but it still may be a formation from a different faction, which means I don't get one because no 'come the Apocalypse'.

      Yes it's a tough call but whinging about being hard done by as a nid player [and I have extensively] is par for the course. To be honest I can live with the limitations, I'd be happier with an extra Leviathan formation for the giggles I've had recently but even so I can make do, this isn't win at all costs for me, just an opportunity to showcase my stuff and have a few good games.

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    2. I understand the reasoning for some of it...but it really just hoses nids out of all the codexes. There is a reason they have access to fifteen formations!

      Honestly if Nids were to come out today, they'd probably just have a standard CAD that allowed 0-4 of each slot. Don't know why they didn't get something like that to begin with...they kinda of suffer by being the end of 6th, but not soon enough to fall under the 7th umbrella. A weird sort of hybrid. :(

      I'll whine for you if you want :).

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    3. As Nafnaf said Formations are in which will be much more interesting for me I think. I've still no idea how to face Imperial Knights, I think I'll just have to adopt my old anti-air policy from way back - just ignore them!

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    4. Crone Vector Strikes (happens during movement, so no ion shield), and carnifex hammer of wraths are your best bets for taking them out. (TL brainleech in the back from the tyrants would work too, and warp blasts).

      Speed bumping them (since you have access to so much fearless trash units), is going to be the mainstay I figure. As long as you spread them around the base, he can't stomp them all at once.

      I'm glad he added formations back in. Living artillery is generally worth it's weight in points just from the extra heavy slots it gives you.

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  2. I posted up my thoughts on his blog about it all. I was a little disappointed about a few of the restrictions but it will still be a great tournament. I managed to get to sixth place (somehow) last year so I would like to get a little higher this time if I can. The main thing for me though is the painting comp and just getting 3 good games of 40k against some great opponents. I like the relaxed atmosphere and lack of (mainly spammy and broken) lists that is encouraged, as I dont go to many tournaments, or consider myself a competitive player. I look forward to seeing your awesome nids again this year ��

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    1. He has just posted a few changes to the pack, that address a few of the issues. I am not sure it helps nids much but goes a way to embracing the 7th ed ethos :)

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    2. I really don't mind restrictions it's just some have a catastrophic effect for nids and allow other factions options which just brings out the old inferiority complex. In truth I'd made a list without formations, not something I would be happy with or give me options but with Formations I now can have something more fun, interesting and probably figures that haven't been to Blog Wars before.

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    3. The imperial battle brothers has to be broken up at some point. Their ability to ally is approaching ridiculous levels. What was once a band aid for the factions to shore up with additional units has become mega combo breakers.

      I'm a bit cynical because I play orks, so formations are my lifeblood since they killed our "counts as troops" options.

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  3. Ha ha ha!: I am painting a "non to-do list" Deathleaper as well. I feel your joy/pain.

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    1. Not started him yet and given the state of my workspace and all the painting and decorating I need to do his completion is doubtful. Still I only have to finish off the Turquoise Chitin Highlights in the bathroom and then it's on to our beadroom ;)

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    2. I have just finished posing mine, which I think was a bigger job than painting. Good luck with the macro-scale terrain building!

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  4. Hi bud, I thought I had problems with the restrictions :)
    Their is still a chance I can take my tau I just need to paint 20 Firewarriors 10 pathfinders 1hammerhead and 6 battle suits and paint project Y. Sh*t that ain't going to happen in 5 weeks :(. The Dark eldar codex better be good :)

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    1. That's nothing to you, and I'm fretting about one Deathleaper?! I've got two lists so far, one that has a formation and one that doesn't and potentially looking at my Blog Wars 7 list and just swapping out the Bastion for my Skyshield and having a little juggle. Now O have options I don't know what to do! Ha, ha!

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  5. It's a difficult one. I think Alex has probly balanced it quite well (but I play imperials so you'd assume I'd say that!).

    One thing I would say is that I'm really grateful he engages with us and listens to us. I actually think that it's quite a good way of trying things out going forwards. I can remember forge world being in, but at the moment it's not for example. Last time knights weren't in, now they are. It's good to see slow change somewhere, and I think it might attract ppl because he's tight on lords of war :) (I know for me that's the case)

    Anyho - looking forwards to seein you in 5 weeks!

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