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 mmzero252 wrote:
One thing I learned from watching a person play. Never charge a 500 point terminator squad with a squad of twelve boyz. That's how you lose models.

Being observant is key to strategy and pre-planning though. Sometimes it's far too late to fix a problem, but there's always next game.

Why? The Terminators would tear through Ork Boyz easily aand even at full strength the boyz wouldn't do much damage to the squad.

 mrhappyface wrote:

 mmzero252 wrote:
One thing I learned from watching a person play. Never charge a 500 point terminator squad with a squad of twelve boyz. That's how you lose models.

Being observant is key to strategy and pre-planning though. Sometimes it's far too late to fix a problem, but there's always next game.

Why? The Terminators would tear through Ork Boyz easily aand even at full strength the boyz wouldn't do much damage to the squad.

Yes, that is the point. The 12 boyz charged in and got demoooolished. Over half died to overwatch fire alone.

 mmzero252 wrote:

 mrhappyface wrote:

 mmzero252 wrote:
One thing I learned from watching a person play. Never charge a 500 point terminator squad with a squad of twelve boyz. That's how you lose models.

Being observant is key to strategy and pre-planning though. Sometimes it's far too late to fix a problem, but there's always next game.

Why? The Terminators would tear through Ork Boyz easily aand even at full strength the boyz wouldn't do much damage to the squad.

Yes, that is the point. The 12 boyz charged in and got demoooolished. Over half died to overwatch fire alone.

Ah, I read it as the Terminators charged in.

I take stock of what I have, what I've been doing with it, what worked as expected, what didn't, and most importantly: what surprised me.

I'm currently in an AoS league where I lost against my first two opponents. Unable to change our lists some people in the league have since dropped out, but I decided to stay in- because I needed to learn my army before I thought about how to improve my list.

I've since turned my fortunes around, I'm not counting on dryads bogging killy things down and Drycha and the treelord ancient are moving together as a deadly one-two combo instead of allowing her to run off on her own and get swamped. Now I'm in the finals, but more importantly I'm confident I know my army ell enough to try out new ideas.

 mmzero252 wrote:
I found I was losing absolutely every game as Sisters of Battle this edition. It's my most worked on and expansive army so every game I tend to take more seriously even if it's just a lighthearted casual game. All my units just seem important to me and every bad roll feels like a blow.

To solve this I've put them on their fancy shelf for now and I've been running the most stupid grot filled grot list ever. Most of the units in it that aren't standard grots, I've hand crafted. Weirdly enough, this list has won 90% of it's games.

The one I didn't win I just thought about what weapon options I took and what might have done better in the situation. That and how better to place and arrange my grot web line to take combatants before they hit the precious vehicles.

Hahahah so I'm not the only one whose grots have been tearing it up.

It's gotta be the killa kanz man, I think they're OP somehow.

the_scotsman wrote:

 mmzero252 wrote:
I found I was losing absolutely every game as Sisters of Battle this edition. It's my most worked on and expansive army so every game I tend to take more seriously even if it's just a lighthearted casual game. All my units just seem important to me and every bad roll feels like a blow.

To solve this I've put them on their fancy shelf for now and I've been running the most stupid grot filled grot list ever. Most of the units in it that aren't standard grots, I've hand crafted. Weirdly enough, this list has won 90% of it's games.

The one I didn't win I just thought about what weapon options I took and what might have done better in the situation. That and how better to place and arrange my grot web line to take combatants before they hit the precious vehicles.

Hahahah so I'm not the only one whose grots have been tearing it up.

It's gotta be the killa kanz man, I think they're OP somehow.

I haven't even gotten any of them yet.

jbeil wrote:
What keeps you going? As you can see in my signature, I'm not doing too well in this edition (although I've only played Tau and Tyranids so far) and as much as I can enjoy a cool story even if I'm getting stomped, it does make me hesitant to go through all the fuss of transporting an army and arranging a game.
What do you do to get yourself back into the spirit and ready to lead your tiny dudes/ladies/monsters/robots into the fray again?

First couple games:
- Learn the rules as best you can beforehand.
- Try to read or figure out what are the important mechanics of the game (Even better, write some reminders to yourself... like sequence of assaults).

For the first game or two I would <shudder> play as "light hearted" as you can.
This is all about learning the game.
Make your army selection have as much variety as possible (no optimizing of lists just yet).
Any issues, make sure you look it up and know it cold.
It will make you faster at it, I promise.

Okay, got some games under your belt.
What circumstances, units, special abilities or weapons seem to shine or stand out to you? Why?
Make some notes and investigate a wee bit.
I agree, talking to your opponent, discuss what really shone in the game and what units were dogs.
Explore if some units may have done better if it had not been "bringing a knife to a gun fight".

So you now know enough things to be a bit dangerous.
Check your army list and think how you can leverage each unit to your style of play.

Think hard on how you would do with high toughness/wounds (monster/vehicle) armies vs hordes vs. high mobility.

I am finding (SM army in my case) I seem to be leaning toward high number of shots with reasonable strength weapons like assault cannons / autocannons.
Next would be weapons that do not need line of sight: One lonely Whirlwind was able to lend supporting fire to complete the smack-down as needed to any enemy unit under direct fire.
The predator cannon was a complete surprise to me as well as the heavy bolter attack bikes in capability.
Anything with twin assault cannons... was just plain rude.

What also NOW kills your units is losing to moral rolls.
Worse you lose, the more models you lose.
How do you get huge minuses?
By your models dying.
High moral, re-rolls for it, even better: auto-pass saves work great.
Let us say that mobs of Orks next to other mobs of Orks = always pass your save, isolated Ork mobs die like dogs.

So if you have a ton of cheap little guys, hopefully there is some rule that prevents them losing their moral rolls (they can be worse than shooting is some instances).
If you have very few models in a unit, I hope they have sufficient saves to keep the dying to a minimum.

Anyway, you get the idea: strategy is fun and it is never truly a lost game if you have learned something from it.
Take appropriate steps, you do not NEED to win, but do your darn best to not roll over and die for your opponent.

This is leisure time, find your fun in each game, take the occasional risks: if they work out everyone seems to remember those moments.
At the very least, prepare your models, figure out which ones to get done next based on increasing your chances at a win, reward yourself with working on maybe less optimal models "but they are cool".

Balance is what I think I am suggesting.
Also find people who find genuine joy in playing, if it gets all too serious it may not be as fun as you would like.

Good luck, do not be down on yourself, take steps to get better, you will.

Sit down, analyse the list your opposition has been bringing, and then develop a countermeasure. Read tactica.

Also, 0-1-3 is barely anything, I've gone longer loss streaks by a factor of 5.


You said you played Tyranids and Tau?

Tyranids have had success fielding Genestealers and Hormagaunts. I hypothesize that the optimal arrangement is 20 Cult Genestealers, 1 Trygon Prime, and 30 Hormagaunts repeated, arriving via Deep Strike/Cult Ambush. For on-board presence, a Tyranid friend recommends Hive Guard and Flying Hive Tyrants, and I might myself add the potential of allying in IG though Genestealer Cults, and in using Tyranid Primes.


As for Tau, I saw a close game between Orks and Tau where the Tau brought Suit Commanders, Drones, a Ghostkeel, Pathfinders, and some Broadsides. The Tau won, and the Suit Commanders were the MVP, so I'd look into them. Ghostkeels also aren't bad, since they're an absolute pain to kill.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 mmzero252 wrote:

the_scotsman wrote:

 mmzero252 wrote:
I found I was losing absolutely every game as Sisters of Battle this edition. It's my most worked on and expansive army so every game I tend to take more seriously even if it's just a lighthearted casual game. All my units just seem important to me and every bad roll feels like a blow.

To solve this I've put them on their fancy shelf for now and I've been running the most stupid grot filled grot list ever. Most of the units in it that aren't standard grots, I've hand crafted. Weirdly enough, this list has won 90% of it's games.

The one I didn't win I just thought about what weapon options I took and what might have done better in the situation. That and how better to place and arrange my grot web line to take combatants before they hit the precious vehicles.

Hahahah so I'm not the only one whose grots have been tearing it up.

It's gotta be the killa kanz man, I think they're OP somehow.

I haven't even gotten any of them yet.

I recommend fielding mech Dominions. I'm currently undefeated as Sisters of Battle, and I've been playing League games with a list that consists of Celestine and a lot of Mech Dominions, with a single Exorcist and a single Penitent Engine.

I play both Tau and Nids and have had great victories. What lists are you playing? Whats your general strategy?

Honestly this is why I have my standard list, and working on a, "I'm just here to win list.

Normally I play rw dw because j love those two and I win 50% probably less. But then I'm also working on a tfg list if I really wanna play competitively, right now that lost is probably gonna be 4 knights because damn they are strong.

Either way, the best way to have fun I have found was advice given to me by a long time hobbier. When you play a game just play it in such a way that it would make for cool movie. Example what would be more bad ass my deathwing knights storming and curb stomping a deamon prince? Or having belial charge him in 1 on 1 combat while the knights hold off bikers? The later is way more fun.

Just make a fun movie outta your game

 Backspacehacker wrote:

Either way, the best way to have fun I have found was advice given to me by a long time hobbier. When you play a game just play it in such a way that it would make for cool movie. Example what would be more bad ass my deathwing knights storming and curb stomping a deamon prince? Or having belial charge him in 1 on 1 combat while the knights hold off bikers? The later is way more fun.

Just make a fun movie outta your game

Hmm, apparently cool songs operate on a different basis.

mostly we get drunk while playing, or get some junk food mid fight. But loosing doesn't bother me anymore because 40k is luck based only, or rather 70%. I had a game where I rolled so good it won my the game, I threw math hammer out the window this day, we brought fluffy list, it was a carnage on both sides, but skill is not what you need in 40k, just basic knowledge of 40k strats and the rest is luck. You can throw 10 lascannons at a whimpy predator and do nothing. He threw a lasconnon and 2 multimelter at my las cannon sentinel for 3 turns, and it still stood until the very end.

what you mean that i should be able to win a game how strange i lose most of my games and i still enjoy playing.

I maintain a little "after action diary" I do write ups in, I have no objection to losing as long as I learn something, I enjoy playing. Winning apparently is a nice bonus, someday I may find out.

Until then learn to love the insanity of it all, when I want to play a game that makes more logical sense, a game where I feel I have a cat in hells chance of changing the result I'll play something else.

When I just want to relax, play a game where the insanity is all encompassing and the models are primary colours, I play 40k

I actually rarely lose but I train myself to prepare to lose each time, and generally give my opponent the advantage.

I don't use OP lists or weird rulings like that. Luck simply favours me on the tabletop. And before you guys think I'm using loaded dice; I always use my friend's or the store's dice for this reason.

For me I just focus on the hobby aspects more. I really enjoy kitbashing models (painting not so much) and writing lists. Gaming is more or less going through the motions for me.

Hey, I play the believed top tier army right now of 40k 8E but have only won one game out of the six so far.

 Lance845 wrote:
I play both Tau and Nids and have had great victories. What lists are you playing? Whats your general strategy?

I have seen 2 ways to run nids if your trying to do it for winning and not fluffy that I have seen.

Genestealers is the first. Take as many as you can as big of squads as you can and everything else you take has to be to help get these crazy bugs into cc.

Biovors with exocrins is the second. (Sp?) These guys, I love the way they work. Take them as a center firing point then everything else is there for scare factor as your opponent deals with things like lictors, rippers, and Trygons showing up, hive tyrants with wings, or those damn spore mines.


I have yet won to either stratagem, but I love playing against them both. Gl.

As the most experienced player in my group of friends and at my store, I don't play to win. I play to have fun. I've never been interested in trying to crush my opponents and being the person who is most often training and introducing the game to new people, whose during those times is literally not to beat people but to teach them how the game works, winning/touraments don't do much for me.

I have so much more fun creating fluffy or funky lists to throw out and see how they play against my friends or store buddies. And I lose more often than not, because I'm not building my list to table my opponets, I build my lists for fun. I often act more like a Game Master than an opponet. Is taking 60 tactical marines with a Captain, Chaplain and Librarian and most of them being in drop pods a good idea? No. But its fun as Hell.

If you are playing to win though, many of the other people here have posted good ideas; review your own games, ask your opponents what made them worry or what mistakes you think they've made or you have made, and watch other games. This last part is a bit more studious but very helpful, read and plan out other players armies. Knowing how they work, their point costs and weakness/strengths is very helpful.