Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Just curious what armies people you all test against when preparing for a tournament aka, if I can beat these lists I can beat anything.

A well-built SM/SW/BA list - this tests against the standard base of what you will face.

A gun-line list preferrably IG - this tests your survivability.

A mechdar or DE force - tests against speed and either your armor dependency or your anti-armor capability.

A hoard-list either ork or tyrannid.

A DW list - do you have the capability to deal with 2+ saves everywhere.

And the core if this is testing versus competent generals not awesome lists in all cases.

It is a good idea to test against the "common" armies out there....but I find testing against the best players you know...using their best armies (regardless of whether thats what you will face or not) and playing worst case scenerios (give them first turn even if it hurts you, or that sort of thing) is a really good way to squeeze all you can out of your army.

Also, stick to one army and play it at least 3 times before making ANY changes. Some will argue the list is most important, but I find a balanced list that has been played and played will win out over a "more powerful" list.


Just my opinion


I am also lucky enough to have 12 or so tough tourny players in my area along with another 40 or so casual players.

What is this testing you speak of? I spend that time painting.

Well, the 'only' tournament i went to, i prepared by only playing one game in the 3 weeks before hand, with a different army and at a different points level, against a pretty rubbish list...

Next time, i will just face what ever my opponent, who ever that might be (arranged on the night) brings. Although i do plan on using my proper army list
But since other people will probably be going, there will be some 'top tier' armies around.
Whats most important i think, is just knowing what everything in your army does, what it does best, what general tactics you want to be using to best utilise your army. And then it comes down to the individual games, its about using the things you know, and being able to change your tactics appropriately.

The first friendly tournament i did (didn't really count it, wasn't using my Army, and there were only 5-6 players not from our club playing) i played one of the people i didn't know, he had Orks, i looked at his army and thought he had no chance...He won.

I think really it doesn't matter what you face, at a tournament you could come up against anything, you might see a 'rubbish list' and think you've won, but your playing against someone who has been fine tuning there list for some time, and has it perfected. It is probably useful to play different army types that DAaddict laid out already, just so you get the general idea of how to use your army against the most common (and best i suppose) play styles.

I'd +1 testing your army going first or second and have an idea of what you'd deploy/reserve in that situation.