Well next Saturday will be the first round of Ard Boyz for 2010. I will be able to play again & will bring my Blood Angels for yet another go at it. Last year I also played Blood Angels and managed to just squeek through the 1st two rounds taking home 3rd place both times. I was running a primarily mechanized list with a small component of jump infantry. The list was tweaked through the first two rounds and I ended up with something like this:
-HQ-
Dante
Corbulo
-Elites-
* Veteran assault squad (x8) - 2x meltagun & 3x power fist/jump packs
* Death Company (x8) - rhino
* Assault terminators (x5) - 4x lightning claws & stormshield
-Troops-
* Battle Sisters (x9 + Sister Superior) - heavy flamer, flamer, eviscerator, hand flamer, Book of St. Lucius - rhino
* Grey Knights (x5 + Justicar) - psycannon, incinerator, psychic hood
* Tactical Marines (x9 + sergeant) - lascannon, meltagun, power fist - rhino
* Tactical Marines {same as above}
-Heavy Support-
Landraider - extra armor
Landraider - extra armor
The trick was to mount the Grey Knights in the Death Company rhino and they were one heck of a great unit. The assault terminators & Death Company rode in the landraiders. The landraiders & assault terminators were also great units as was Dante joined with his veterans. I didn't do so well in the finals but I have to say my first opponent in Chicago was a really shady character... towards the end of the game he practically shoved two squads of genestealers about halfway across the table when I momentarily looked away, telling me that he rolled a pair of 6s for his fleet rolls. I just shook my head in utter disbelief. I was ahead on killpoints which was the primary but you had to win by a certain margin so I ended up with a draw. I was matched up against the Nid player again in the second round but we got that sorted... My second opponent had a buddy at the table and the game slowly digressed into me having to argue with both of them time & time again, plus when I asked twice how much time was left in the match all I got was stone cold silence. I left with an unpleasant feeling about the nature of Ard Boyz in general & there was some petty stuff about me being posted on another blog, so going into the finals it just felt like a really huge uphill battle. Being somewhat of a high profile player has some perks but it also has it's downside... Especialy most I hate when noobs try to play the name game to boost their own reputation.
Anyways this year I have a new & more powerful codex & I plan to take full advantage. I will be mentally prepared for the TFGs and ready to roll some dice BBF style... Heh! I have been playtesting my new list a lot and it is basically an evolution of last year's list. It's definitely stronger, has more punch in assault plus it's got some really wicked shooting thrown in for good measure. There are going to be some good players where I intend to play the first round so I know it won't be a walk in the park but I feel confident going in. Basically in the first round if you can massacre twice that should get you through to the semi finals. I'd love to win 1st place but I will definitely be very happy to just make it through again. I'm really looking forward to the Ard Boyz this year.
G
3 comments:
Hiya Blowfly - I hope your Hard Boyz experience is better this year; certainly you have a better Codex to work with.
I thought the line, "...there was some petty stuff about me being posted on another blog," could refer to mine, Strictly Average. I don't know if that's what you meant, but certainly it could be since I posted some material back in September that referenced you.
On 9/18/09, I wrote, "and I understand two of the WC are here, including Green Blow Fly." I went on, "GBF evidently has a reputation for nonsense; (edit). Now to be fair, this is complete hearsay: (edit)." And lastly, "I'm just name-dropping." And I was! To be fair, you are a name, you had a reputation, and I thought it was something others would be interested in, since I know I was. Having more experience with a blog now, I would have handled it better, but face it - back then, nobody was reading me anyway.
On 9/21/09, I wrote, "I had fun predicting GBF's behavior based on his reputation from the internet, but truth be told Bruce said that he was pretty cool and he enjoyed the game." C'mon! You're a name, your name was on your shirt, and you played a buddy of mine - I had to mention it. I don't, however, think this was a petty comment.
On 10/2/09, I realized you had posted a comment asking what I'd heard about your reputation, so I wrote the 'Blowfly Interlude.' I wanted to be completely clear; since you'd taken the time to ask, I felt you deserved an honest answer. I wrote, "I quizzed Bruce hard about the game, (edit). Bruce enjoyed the game and said he thought GBF was very cool."
I think at the time there was some confusion about whose blog it was - that it's mine, Brent - and who it was you played, Bruce, who occasionally posts as Big Whit. I can understand that.
(Note: the posts are still in my archive; I've edited for space, not to hide anything.)
I thought that was the end of it. You've commented on Strictly Average since that time, and I've felt comfortable making comments on your blog. I've had a link to Terminus Est since the original posts and have nothing but respect for you as a personality in our hobby. If there is any holdover bad feelings, please accept my apology. I try to be as honest online as off, even if I come across as an ass sometimes!
Good luck at Hard Boyz this year - Brent
Hi Brent
I don't hold a grudge. The point of the comment was to set in the mind of the audience how I felt going into the finals knowing people were saying online that I am/was a shady player. It took some of the fun out of attending the finals. At the time there was a big brewhaha going on about one of my games in the semifinals last year. This year will be different.
G
And thank you for taking the time to respond. Maybe we will run into each other at the finals this year.
: )
G
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