Saturday I played in my first tournament and it was a blast! It was also my first time playing with clocks and timed turns were a bit unnerving. Still an amazing time was had and it was a superb way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
But enough of my gushing, let’s get to the nitty gritty. How’d I do? Who’d I go up against? What did I run and why?
First let’s start with my list:
Points: 25/25
Kommander Strakhov (*6pts)
* Decimator (9pts)
* Torch (10pts)
* Sylys Wyshnalyrr, the Seeker (2pts)
Kayazy Assassins (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Kayazy Assassin Underboss (2pts)
Kayazy Eliminators (Leader and Grunt) (3pts)
The idea was basically blitzing and ripsawing. Strakhov again?! Yes, I am determined to make him work for me! It was my first time using Sylys, but the free upkeep and the additional spell RNG and dice I felt would be a boon to Strakhov, who’s spell ranges, I feel, leave a lot to be desired and is basically a FOC 5 caster when you think about it, because the only time you wouldn’t have Superiority upkept would be when your warjacks have gone to that big scrapyard in the sky. Torch was an easy choice. I love him and he has always performed for me, I can count on him to wreck a least a heavy. I know he catches a lot of flak, but he’s such a toolbox and I think Strakhov needs that because he’s known as a one-trick pony, so Torch gives him a few more options. Plus the amount of attacks he can put out, at high P+S no less, is staggering! The Decimator is there because I like him better than the Destroyer who has never really done much for me. Plus dat Ripsaw! Yes, two ripsaws in this list. I went with the Kayazy instead of the Iron Fangs for one reason: Acrobatics. And their high DEF. Okay two reasons. The ideal situation for me would have been to have the Kayazy feat charging with acrobatics straight to the enemy warcasters, ignoring free strikes along the way. While this situation never came to fruition (more on that later), that was the general idea behind this list. Fast, brute force.
The Games!
Game 1: Kommander Strakhov vs. Absylonia, Terror of Everblight
My first game was against Demitra of Khadoran Machine Never Breaks fame. He was playing beast heavy, so I was very glad I sprung for the second warjack right off the bat. This little batrep is going to be short because well, the game was short. I popped my feat on turn two and took out the Carnivean and the Sytherean with my warjacks and an assist from the Kayazy Assassins. My rolls with the Decimator were terrible, ones and twos (not a good way to start my tourney run) and in the end I think Spiny Growth did more damage to the Decimator than I did to the Carnivean. I finished it off with some Assassins, then set up the rest of the Kayazy for a second wave next turn…that never came.
Oh, Abby, you monster you. I think it was a repeat of what happened last time I played Demitra in the Gnarls league. Slipstream and flight are an awful great combination and I’m sure you can guess what I did with Strakhov. Yup, left him out in the open, but this time at least he was behind the ruins in the center of the table. A little safe maybe? Nope, Abby drank a Red Bull and got up in Strakhov’s grill with two FURY on her. Yeesh.
Record: 0-1
Game 2: Kommander Strakhov vs. Kommander Sorscha
Next game was with a fellow Khadoran, who I had just played against in a massive 2 on 2 Khador vs. Khador throwdown (post coming soon with tons of pics). He brought along Sorscha for the ride and to tell the truth, I got a little psyched out seeing his force. Man-o-Wars do that to me. Oh and he brought a Destroyer, something I had hoped to avoid (AOEs).
We mark up, with the Manhunters hitting the Decimator early and the Eliminators coming to help it out. Again the Decimator rolls poorly and the Eliminators miss some attacks. Never good. DEF 17 isn’t very good when you got MAT 8 staring you down. In hindsight I should have continued along with the Eliminators instead of going to help the Decimator. The manhunters would have been tied up for about 2 turns, giving the Eliminators plenty of time to get into range of Sorscha, probably.
I decided to try a Torch slingshot with Overrun and Strakhov, but it was not to be. I needed at least 2 shots with the Riot Gun, but the Dice Gods said nay to thee, and I had to make due with one. I needed a hot hand on this roll and I was left with 1 focus. One boosted shot later and I only did 6 damage. Ouch, gamble lost.
His next turn, he did what Sorscha does best, a pop-n-drop assassination run.
What I found funny was that he only lost 1 Demo Corpsman and I only lost 1 Kayazy Assassin.
Record: 0-2
Game 3: Kommander Strakhov vs. High Exemplar Kreoss
Ah great, the other Pop-n-Drop caster…My final game was against Jeff and his Menoth with their absurdly pristine and shiny yellow gold. Seriously, it looks like he gold-plated them.
This game was actually a bit of a slug fest until the feats. I killed some of his Errants and put a hurtin’ on his ‘jacks. I was feeling pretty good, but Kreoss was still way in the back and even with my feat aided charge, I was hard pressed to get him. So Jeff went first and popped his feat and then proceeded to clean house. I mean whoa. I think in the end I was left with Strakhov, Sylys and Torch.
My game depended yet again on a Torch Overrun slingshot. This time I got the two shots I needed, but the second shot…Critical miss. It was time for a Hail Mary. Torch charged an errant, which put him just into flamethrower range with Kreoss. Boost to hit and boost to POW and Kreoss was hurting. More than that he was on fire. Yes sir, it hinged on Kreoss burning to death.
The fire failed to go out at the beginning of Jeff’s next turn YES. This was it. I need like 10+ on 2d6 to kill him and the way I had been rolling, it seemed impossible. Welp…shake ’em up, shake ’em up…
…11!
Record: 1-2
Final Musings:
I thoroughly enjoyed my first tournament experience. In fact I can’t wait for the next one. Sure I would of loved to do better (wouldn’t we all), but I was happy with one win when all was said and done. The important thing is that I had tons of fun.
A special thanks to Plarzoid, our Press Ganger, for putting together the Gnarls league and this little tournament. I think we lucked out with him.
Enjoy the pics!
Gallery!
Miniature armies, huge time sink. 
Fun post! I wish Sylas worked for Cryx as I’d love to have his benifits! You don’t look very thrilled in your pic. 😀
lol yeah I said the same thing when I saw the pic.
Speaking of Sylys, I have a very cool base idea in store for him!
The tournament was a blast! I’m glad you had fun!
Oh yeah, I’m seriously looking forward to the next one already!
Few things as fun as Warmachine tournaments. Always a great time and (what surprises new WM players the most) great friendly atmosphere.
It helps that the guys at my LGS are already pretty cool and easy going! It’s a great atmosphere.
Congrats on popping your tourney cherry ;p I got addicted to them as well and started playing in them only 2 months into the hobby. Now I can’t get enough of them. Getting a win in your first tourney is big! Plus they help you a tons getting to know different tactics to use in certain scenarios as well as play styles of other people and their armies.
Also, you should try out chess clock style instead of timed turns. That’s my new addiction 🙂
It was chess clocks this tourney, but yeah, I can definitely see myself getting addicted to the tournament scene 😀 I already have a few new tactics I want to try of with Strakhov just from this one!
Nice!
There’s something about being on the clock that makes games more entertaining. Glad your first experience was a good one. You had me worried after taking out my two heavy hitters so early, but of course Strakhov had to hang out in the breeze a bit to make it work. It was close on Aby getting the kill, taking all my Fury if I recall, and if it hadn’t worked I would have been finished. No matter how much I think I prepare for it, Strakhov’s feat turn still catches me with my pants down. Apparently I was also caught sans pants on the photographing front since I managed to get two paltry shots that look even shabbier in their blurry, unfocused “glory” when compared to your library here.