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I just got home from a really fun doubles tournament in Sac town. The missions were a little wonky and they had comp, which I really dislike on principle, but we still had a fun time meeting new people and getting in some games.

I and my partner JP took a pretty mild list to just about max out comp (28 out of 30 points). I brought my notorious Footdar out to play and JP brought his Venom Spam Dark Eldar for some pointy eared double trouble. My teammate had not played in a while and was just learning Dark Eldar. His list also had some filler points in it which account for some of the strange wargear decisions.

The restrictions were 1-3 troops, 1 HQ, 0-1 of Elite, Fast, and Heavy per team member. The comp system was points based on percentage of total points. For example, 15% or less points on HQ, 30% or more on Troops, etc. gave you bonus points. Here are our lists:

Me: Footdar

HQ:

Farseer: Runes of Warding, Doom, Fortune, Spirit Stones 145

Elites:

Harlies x 10: Shadowseer, Kisses x 10 250

Troops:

Guardians x 12: Bright Lance, Warlock, Embolden 156
Dire Avengers x 10: Dual S.Catapult, Bladestorm 152
Jetbikes x 4: Warlock, Destructor, S.Spear, S.Cannon 134

Heavy:

Wraithlord: Flamer x 2, EML, Bright Lance


My teammate JP:

HQ:

Duke Silisucs (or David Bowie as we call him)

Elites:

Treuborn x 4: 2 x Splinter Cannon, 2 x Shard Carbine, Venom, Splinter Cannon, Nightshield

Troops:

Kabalite Warriors x 5: Blaster, Grenade Launcher, Agonizer, Syrabrite, Venom, Splinter Cannon, Night Shield
Kabalite Warriors x 5: Blaster, Grenade Launcher, Agonizer, Syrabrite, Venom, Splinter Cannon, Night Shield
Kabalite Warriors x 5: Blaster, Grenade Launcher, Agonizer, Syrabrite, Venom, Splinter Cannon, Night Shield

Heavy:

Ravager: Night Shield, Flicker Field

Game 1: Pitched Battle, modified Annihilation (3 KP for HQ, 2 for Elite, Heavy or Fast, 1 for all others)
Bonus: +2 for killing all HQ, or troops, +1 for destroying all transports.

Our first game was against a Dark Eldar/Space Marine combo.

HQ:

Homonculous: Venom Blade
Master of the Forge: Servo Harness, Power Weapon

Elites:

Incubi x 6: Raider
Dreadnought: Plasma Cannon, H.Flamer

Troops:

Warriors x 10: Blaster, Splinter Cannon, Raider
Warriors x 10: Blaster, Splinter Cannon, Raider
Warriors x 10: Blaster, Splinter Cannon, Raider
Tactical Squad x 10: P.Weapon, Flamer, M.Melta, Rhino
Tactical Squad x 10: P.Weapon, Flamer, M.Melta, Rhino
Tactical Squad x 10: P.Weapon, Flamer, P.Cannon, Razorback

Heavy:

Ravager
Dreadnought: P.Cannon, H.Flamer

We got first turn which was very important for this match-up. It was a close game, trading units back and forth as we each tried to maneuver for the best shots. It was neck and neck in KPs until a critical turn in which my teammate put just enough wounds on the Incubi squad with the Homunulous to cause a morale check which they failed by 1 and ran off the board which was a 5 KP swing in our favor. Our opponents answered back by insta-killing the Duke with a plasma cannon through his Shadowfield. They also vaped his Trueborn along with him putting them back in the game. But luck was with us again when my Wraithlord was rapid fired on by a squad of Warriors who put 10 wounds on him while he only had one wound remaining. If he died we were most likely going to lose but the stud passed all 10 saves! He then turned around and bar-b-qued the Warriors to seal victory for us 11 KP to 8. The Venoms are just money if you can open enemy transports. They put out so much firepower and the Warrior squad inside with a blaster is a great, cheap scoring unit that can open a transport up. For the points, the Venom/Warrior combo makes a top notch troops choice. My teammate did struggle a bit until we got those transports open though as poison weapons are worthless against armor. We got none of the bonus points and went to round two with 15 points.

Game 2: Modified Dawn of War (weird deployment, like DoW but only 6" deployment zones, all units but the two troops and 1 HQ begin in actual reserves, night fight continues every turn on a die roll ending turn 5 if it lasts that long) army with most scoring units in opponent's deployment zone, wins.
Bonuses: Kill your enemy's HQ which they designate as their primary HQ: 5 points.

Our second opponents were a Space Wolf/Space Marine team

HQ:

Rune Priest: JotWW, Living Lightening
Librarian: Force Dome, Gate of infinity

Elites:

Sternguard x 10: C.Melta x 10, P.Fist, D.Pod

Troops:

Grey Hunters x 9: Fist, Melta Gun, Wolf Guard in termie armor with Cyclone, D.Pod
Grey Hunters x 9: Fist, Melta Gun, Wolf Guard in termie armor with Cyclone, D.Pod
Grey Hunters x 9: Fist, Melta Gun, Wolf Guard in termie armor with Cyclone, D.Pod
Tactical Squad x 10: P.Fist, P.Gun
Tactical Squad x 10: Fist, M.Gun, D.Pod
Sniper Scouts: H.Bolter, Telion

Heavy:

Long Fangs x 5: H.Bolter x 4

We won the roll to go first and chose to go second, putting everything in reserve and letting the MEQs drop onto an empty board. They forced a flank, dropping all their pods into a corner of our deployment zone (only 6" deep) and then hunkered down to wait for us. We chose to only kill enough of their scoring units to ensure that the units we sent into their deployment zone would earn us victory. The mission was kind of gakky for units on foot as it meant they would at best come in on turn 2, then spend the entire game just running across the board, which really isn't much fun. I want to shoot my units, or do something besides just run them. The missions HEAVILY favored fast armies. At any rate, we forced the opposite flank and with night fight running to turn 4, the MEQs couldn't even shoot at our skimmers and Jetbikes rocketing into the far end of their deployment zone where they just hid out of LoS. The Wraithlord and Harlies won us the game, coming on and taking down three scoring units in combat. Doom+Fortune on Halries is brutal. The Dire Avengers ran on the table, bladestormed, took just enough casualties for a morale check, failed it and ran right back off the board. Way to be, fellas! They did kill a lot of Grey Hunters though with bladestorm before running like sissies.

We ended up winning the game 15 to 0, being unable to get to our opponents' Rune Priest hidden deep in their army. I felt bad for our opponents with the essentially all game night fighting which prevented them from even shooting at our units in their deployment zone. They tried to gate the sternguard over to attempt to stop us but my teammate's Venom's shredded them. I don't mind minor changes to missions, but this was a bit much for my taste. If they would have used normal Dawn of War or even just 12" deployment zones it would have made for a more enjoyable game, in my opinion. They should definitely lose the all game Night fight too, as it just isn't that much fun and can be easily exploited.

Game 3: Spearhead, 5 objectives. Special rule that the entire board is difficult terrain for infantry and jump infantry must take a pinning test every time they jump. All other units ignore this rule. This mission and the last missions just really hurt infantry armies, which is a bummer. The game is already slanted towards mech enough as it is.
Bonuses: +2 for killing all fast attack or troops, +1 for killing all heavy

Our last game was against a Tyranid/Chaos army.

HQ:

Hive Tyant: Venom Cannon, Regen, Hive Guard x 3
Demon Prince: Wings, MoS, Lash

Elites:

Chosen x 5: Flamer, Melta x 3

Troops:
Hormagants x 16
Hormagants x 16
Tyranid Warriors x 6: Death spitters, V.Cannon
Berzerkers x 10: Skull Champ, Fist, Rhino, X-Arm
Chaos Warriors x 10: Champ, Fist, IoCG, Rhino, x-arm

Fast:

Raptors x 5: L.Claws

Heavy:

Carnifex: Regen, B.Stangler

This mission and our lists were a huge mismatch for our opponents. We won the die roll to go first and chose to go second as they really didn't have any long range shooting to worry us. The weird "entire board being difficult terrain" really slowed our opponents down while not really affecting us. The poison weapons of my teammate just murdered the Tyranids, and combined with Doom+Bladestorm it was just ugly. The bugs were dropping like flies. We also popped open the Rhinos by turn three forcing the MEQs to slog through difficult terrain everywhere. The Harlies went on a rampage rolling red hot. They were charged by the Demon Prince and Berzerkers and won the combat, eventually killing all of the Chaos models and only losing 4 of their own. They were then charged by the Raptors but killed all of them before the Raptors could swing. They then went on to kill the Carnifex by end game, not taking another causality. Again, doom and fortune turned them into murder machines. Plus, being able to ignore the difficult terrain was very helpful. Despite the mismatches it was actually a close game until through turn 4 from an objective point of view, with us not sealing victory until the last turn. Although in honesty, the outcome was never really in doubt as our opponents really lacked the tools to take the fight to us. It was just a matter of us going through the paces and then clinching the noose in the last turn. We ended up winning with 18 points.



On the whole, a very fun tournament. I always enjoy doubles events. This time around I would hardly consider it to be a highly competitive event as most lists were very soft, but it was fun. I can't help but think that that comp system in place gimps the players' development to a certain extent. It forces everyone to take weaker lists and play at a less competitive level. Even when my friends and I brought comp friendly lists, our knowledge of competitive play tactics gave us a clear edge. But, to each their own and despite some of my quibbles, I had fun and will go to more of their events, for sure.

My partner and I ended up with best generals and Italiaplaya and Frankie won best overall (They Ran Orks and Space Wolves). My Footdar also won best painted, so we did really well as a group.

In all, a fun event and a fun change of pace from the typical, balls out tournaments I like to go to.

Congrats to you guys for doing well. Two tourny wins in two weeks not to bad Reece.

Thanks, Christian! We played in another tournament today, too! I am packing them in lately, trying to get practice in for the Sprue Posse GT.

They sound like great games; I also love doubles events, shame about the lack of tournies in Perth...

Any chance of pictures of your Eldar?

I just got my camera back in action, so I will post some pics up.

That would be cool for sure. Its all ways nice to have pics with battle reports. Good job again for doing well in that tourny.

That space wolf list seems to be highly illegal... to get 3 cyclone terminators you would need 15 wolf guard.

Other than that, seems like you had a blast!

Cheers.

The 3 cyclone terminators is very off...and unless Im crazy Space Wolves have 10 man drop pods so 9 guys plus a wolf guard in termy armor would be 11 capacity and be too big for a drop pod.

All that being said do your Harlies normally do that well or were they just rolling that hot? I have found them to be useful for distracting and slaughtering non-elite choices but other than that they just seem to die. Perhaps I was just using them wrong or expected too much from them.

Edit: Whoah, no idea how this got here.

@Iago and Xander
Yup. Sooooo many people get that wrong. They think you can give each one a Cyclone missile launcher. We didn't say anything though because we won be a large margin so we didn't want to be dicks. Probably should have though, since it would help those guys out.

@ChritianA
Thanks, dude. Looking forward to hanging out at the SLO Ironman on Saturday!

What did the list look like for the winners ork/puppies? And grats on best generals and some well played games

My list ran roughly, (orks)

-big mek-
-kff-
-powerklaw-

-15 lootas-

3 squads of 30 boyz each nob with powerklaw and eavy armour.

White925s list roughly wont know exactly what it had (wolves)

-Ragnar-

-3 wolve guard- 3 powerfist- ( 1 added to each grey hunter unit)

-3 10 man units of Grey Hunter. 2 melta and a power weapon each.

-5 or 6 man Long fang unit- 5 missiles

@Hydeckadecka
Thanks! It was a fun tournament.

Italiaplay and White925 handled business considering the missions were really stacked against Foot lists.