Ah, now I nearly forgot to cover this but as we arrived for the second day of gaming it was obvious that something was amiss. Heated conversations were being had between the TOs and one of the local Honk Kong players. The rudiments of this conversation escaped me, as it was mostly debated in Cantonese, but one of my more bilingual fellow gamers soon filled me in.

The debate revolved around the Daemon Factory player (see image below) and the fact that he was casting blessings on the same unit twice - in this case Curse Earth (astro_nomicom, thanks for clearing this up for me ). I don’t have the rules to hand, but the power in question infers an invulnerable save on units within 12" of the Psyker or something to that end. The player in question had cast the same power from two different psykers and stacked the buff to multiple units in between them, thereby increasing the invulnerable save twice over. As it turns out, this was wrong - as a blessing cannot stack its buff unless it specifically says so (for example, the Shroud and Stealth special rules – not powers I know, but you get the gist).



Now it was fairly obvious to everyone that is was a genuine mistake by the player, and an understandable one considering there are other powers/special rules/effects that do stack their buffs throughout the 40K rules. The fact that none of his three day-one opponents (two of whom were veteran players) picked up on the fact that it was wrong during the games would also suggest that they did not see anything wrong with the rule interpretation at the time, making the mistake even more understandable.

So the TOs gathered everyone around and made an announcement, explaining that they had discussed the issue with all parties and decided that, while they would not overturn the results themselves, they had asked the Daemon player to consider turning his day one results (all wins) into draws. Under the public gaze of the tournament masses, there was so much pressure applied that he really had no choice in the matter. The only way he would have said no would have been if he was a WAAC / TFG player and had intended the misinterpretation all along to further his chances in the competition. But he didn’t, and he agreed to change the results, which is yet more vindication of how honest a mistake it was.

The players who reported the issue to the TO just happened to be the three veteran players who were heavily tipped to take the top three spots at the tournament (and eventually did), two of whom had been beaten by the Daemon player on the first day. Sour grapes you say? Well, it’s not really for me to say - I will let you draw your own conclusions...

So the outcome was that the player ranked top at the end of day one lost 30 points from 60, while three players (including two top seeds) beaten on day one gained ten points. Was this a fair outcome?

In my book, No. And my reasons for thinking so are quite simple. The only point that matter is fact that it was not called out during the game. This makes both sides equally responsible for what happened - not just the player who made the mistake - as it is down to the players themselves to police their own games. If you thought it was wrong, you should have called it out and checked it. The TOs are just there to clarify rule interpretations, not enforce them on every table simultaneously (oh, where are you now Rouge Trader ‘games master’….). The policing is up to you.

As DJ3 pointed out, it sets a dangerous precedent - I’ve quoted what he said again, as I can’t really put it any better myself.

DJ3 wrote:The more nefarious side of that (in regard to setting precedent) is honestly the more important one--if you start changing the outcomes of games retroactively based on rules issues, you're actively incentivizing people to not point out rules mistakes during the game. Let's say you honestly believe Jet Packs move 30". In the world we've just created, why would I ever point out to you that they cannot, even if I know they cannot? I'd just play out the game, see if I win, and if I don't, call the judges over and demand you forfeit because of your earlier rules mistake.

Essentially, at major tournaments, if you get "rules-cheated" by your opponent it is your fault, and that is by design. You are the only one who has an active stake in making sure your opponent follows the rules, and therefore you're the only one qualified to make sure he does so during the game.

I’m pretty sure I missed a few ‘Gets Hot’ rolls on my plasma cannons during the GT (because, let’s be honest, who doesn’t?), as I’m equally sure my opponents made honest mistakes too. In fact, I’m willing to bet that no one at the GT played the 'perfect game' from a rules perspective – but does that mean afterwards I should be trying to find a reason for my first day losses to be turned into draws? Or should I just be a big boy, learn from my mistakes and get on with it?

Had it happened to me, I know which way I would have gone.

(It’s the latter btw, in case you were wondering ).

Game 5: Titan’s Bastards vs Ultramarines

Mission: Purge the Alien (kill point for each unit destroyed)
Deployment: Random – Vanguard Strike (Finally! A Change from DoW!)
Game Length: Variable (2.5 hrs. time limit)
Terrain: Pre-set
Going first: I win roll off, but decide to go second



List

Tigirius
TAC squad x10, Flamer, HB, combi-melta, MB, DP
TAC squad x6, PG, combi-plasma, MB
Sternguard x6, combi-melta x4, combi-flamer x2, MB, DP
Ironclad Dread, PF & HF, SH & MG, Assualt Launcher, DP,
DEV squad x7,LC x2, ML x2, Rhino
Centurion DEVs x3, Grav cannon & Grav amp x3, ML x1, Omniscope
Storm Talon, TL LC,
Storm Raven, TL LC, TL MM

Ok, so my final game will be against Ultramarines.

The downside? This is my fourth Imperium opponent of the GT, and all of them have been power armour buddies, which has been a little bit dull. The upside? I will be playing Neophyte2012 – my regular sparring partner here in HK, and the person against whom I played the warm up games in both this and the Neophyte challenge. As it is, I think it is rather fitting that we end up playing our last game of the GT against each other

This also gives me a few advantages – SM are by far the faction I know best, and short of my own list Neophyte2012s are probably the troops I know best too. I’m pretty sure I know enough of his weaknesses to pick his force apart, my only undoing might the mission type. Kill points will hurt me more than my opponent, as I have three very squishy units in the scouts and normally like to suicide drop my Sternies/LotD deep into the enemy lines to cause chaos. I might have to be a bit more restrained in my approach this time.

Subsequently, strategic approach would be slightly different to the usual – as it is kill points, I will deploy the ADL as a long line right on my table edge, ensuring he cannot get the DPs behind me. I will deploy the long range units behind the ADL as usual, but this time the two units of bolter scouts will join them (making full use of the cover save) in an effort to improve their survivability. The sniper scouts will go in the central ruins solely because there is no room for them behind the crowded ADL.

LotD, Sternies with Libby in DP and Land speeder in reserves. My game plan will revolve around going second – his initial pod strike will come in on the ADL, and while it is busy trying the smash the dug-in defenders I will counter his DP strike with my own, then later the LotD & LS, in an effort to be the ‘hammer’ on the ADLs ‘anvil’, hopefully resulting in blue jam in between.


‘Er, who ordered the Gun line? Anyone?’

The sparse terrain slightly favours me as I start with more guns on the board, but that will change as soon as the DPs come in. I role a useless Warlord traits, and Tiggy takes his usual. Game on.


Deployment. The calm before the DP storm….

Turn 1. Ultramarines Rhino with the 6 man TAC moves up to the edge of the central ruins, along with the DEV squad.


Here come the smurfs!

The first two DP come in, one containing Tiggy & Sterguard, the other the Ironclad.


Incoming!!!!

Tiggy tries to cast some buffs for the sternguard but whiffs his roles. This would be the start of a uncharacteristically bad afternoon for Tiggy….


Titan’s Bastards dig in, with nothing to support them except that guys ass…..

Shooting from the Rhino kills two of my sniper scouts in the central ruins and they break. The Sternies and Ironclad score numerous hits on the DEV squad but only manage to kill two, and they would hold.


Not the alpha strike my opponent was looking for – god bless the humble ADL.

My turn, and the Libby with Sternies comes down right next to Tiggy, narrowly missing my scouts. They pile out, and I manage to get invisibility off on them. I then fire EVERYTHING at Tiggy and squad in an effort to get first blood & slay the warlord (as well as remove a significant threat from my lines) but between some awesome look out sire rolls and bad dice on my part, he survives. I do however manage to get rid of the Sternies for first blood. Happy days.


Er, thanks for the sacrifice lads - the emperor will reward you for it in the afterlife! Honest!

Turn two, and my opponent rolls for his reserves – they all come in First drop pod with the 10 man TAC drops next to my ADL too (this is great, he is throwing everything at breaking my line, and I am for the first time acutely aware what will happen if my guys start breaking).


‘It’s Raining Drop Pods! Hallelujah! It’s raining….’

Then the Storm Raven & Talon come in, dropping the Centurions for a perfect deployment within 6” of the DP locator beacon. Suddenly his firepower has doubled I intercept the Storm Raven with the Icarus LC and fail the Pen roll - Yet another let down. Tiggy whiffs again in the psychic phase, but the units’ shooting is a little more effective. They kill five scouts in total behind the ADL and two of the sniper scouts caught in no man’s land. Unfortunately for my opponent, they all hold. My dread also takes a hit from the Storm Raven and losses a weapon.



Assault phase, and the Ironclad charges the Sternguard. Fortunately, due to invisibility, they all survive combat. As they cannot hurt the Ironclad, I use ‘our weapons are useless’ and autobreak, almost fleeing off the table but as it happens just back behind the Aegis. My luck is holding so far.


Argghh! It's the mega smurf! Run away!

My turn and two units of LotD come in along with the LS. The melta goes after his Rhino and the 6 man TAC behind the ruins, seeking the easy kill point. The Plasma team drops near the Centurions, hoping to draw their fire away from the squishier scouts and sternguard. The LS comes on from my edge and just makes the 12” move to get behind the Ironclad. My Librarian cast invisibility on himself, and charges Tiggy attempting to tar pit him for the remainder of the game. Scouts, remaining DEVs and Sterngaurd fire on the 10 man TAC squad, whittling them down to 7, but they would hold. The LS manages to immobilizes the Ironclad and stop him rampaging through my lines, while the LotD plasma team kill two of the Cents (how hilariously good are plasma weapons at killing Cents!?!?).



Combat between the Libby & Tiggy ends in a stalemate, both taking a wound off each other.



Turn three, and somehow we are running out of time and it looks like this will be the last turn – time to maximize the kill points!

Nothing much moves for my opponent, and Tiggy being tied up in combat means he has nothing to cast. The formerly 10 man TAC kill off the scouts and advance on the ADL , while the Storm Raven and Talon finally take out my Dread. The remaining Centurion manages to kill to kill LotD, and the Ironclad takes out another DEV, but it’s not enough for my opponent to claw it back.

My turn, and the remaining LotD arrive (phew!) all my firepower is on the board – time to make it count! I move nothing, and get no psychic powers off either. Shooting and the Cents are wiped out by the remaining plasma LotD squad, while the second Plasma team come in and help wipe out the 10 man TAC threatening my lines. The LS only manages to glance the Ironclad, while the two melta LotD fail to take out any of the backfield targets.

In combat, I fully expect to lose my Libby as I failed to get Invisibility off. In a surprising turn of events, he not only survives, but kills Tiggy! This gives me another kill point, as well as Slay the Warlord.


Tiggy go bye by

And with that momentous event the game, as well as FA GT 2014, is over.


The lads celebrate their survival. Well done lads. Go get yourselves a drink.

He killed three units and has line breaker, while I killed five units and pick up Line breaker, first blood and slay the warlord .

TITAN'S BASTARDS 8:4 Ultramarines

VICTORY!

Wow! What a great game to finish on! I really enjoyed this one, not only because I managed to pick up another win (always nice) and not only because my opponent was such a great sport (which he always is, without fail) but because it felt really cinematic. My opponent threw everything at my desperate defenders, trying as hard as he could to break that line and run amok but he was just about held at bay by some desperate defence, before finally being surrounded by my late arriving reserves and edged in the last turn on kill points

My opponent really went for it, which was great as he could have tried to sit back and just plinked away at my line. Had his luck been a bit better the mass assault strategy might have worked – a few more failed moral checks and cover save son my part and that line would have disintegrated pretty quickly. And if I had not immobilized the Ironclad when I had, he would have been over the ADL and into the squishy units behind, and there would have been little I could have done about it.

it also has to be said that Tiggy had an awful game for my opponent - even with the reroll he was failing to get almost everything he cast off. I don't think I have ever seen the magic smurf ever perform so badly as he did in this game.

Anyway, awesome game, and with that we handed in our scorecards and eagerly awaited the results.....

Summary of FA GT 2014 and final standings to follow!

So, with the Tournament over, it was time to reflect on my first GT experience.

Overall, I had a great time – if was fun to experience the format and see soooooooooooooo many well painted armies on display and in action, but for me the most important outcome was meeting some good people who I look forward to playing again in the bear future. Even though I found the schedule a bit punishing after the first day, I enjoyed all but one of the games, and on another day (i.e. not after two other long games and not under a time limit) even that one might have been more fun.

There were some things I wish the TOs had done a bit better – Terrain for example, there was just too little of it on the boards which favoured the shootier lists (thank goodness there was only one Tau list!) but overall they ran a pretty good show and should be very proud of themselves – well done Fun Atelier.

The controversy of the second day also soured the outcome slightly, but it was and interesting insight into the mechanics of tournaments away from the battlefield, and I guess part of my learning curve in realising that GTs are not necessarily only about the rolls of the dice…...

So, onto the final standings - the overall scores were worked out not only on the basis of games won, but also by the amount of VPS taken over the whole event, a sportsmanship rating given by each player at the end of their games (which I got full marks for - very happy) and aesthetics (i.e. whether your army was painted and WYSIWYG, etc).

With all that in mind, my final placing at FACUP GT 2014 was…..

Tied 8th!

Peanut sauce all round!

I was of course delighted with this result, as I went in with no expectations and just hoping to avoid being tabled in every game! After the first day I was expecting to come near or at the bottom of the pile, but two good performances and a change of luck helped drag me up the table. I was also rewarded for spending a lot of time before the GT making sure my list was fully painted and WYSIWYG, which was obviously worth the effort as this help me place better than four other players who had drawn on game points with me 

I am now an official Tournament convert and can’t wait for the next, it’s just a shame there are so few in Asia to go to – oh well, roll on next year

1st PLACE – ARMY No. 12 - ELDAR

No surprise really, four wins and a draw (the draw being revised up from a loss after the ‘unsavoury incident)

2nd PLACE - ARMY No. 17 - SPACE MARINES - Salamanders

My game 2 opponent – considering where he placed I am even more amazed at how close our game was.

3rd PLACE - ARMY No. 2 - SPACE MARINES - White Scars

Another of the ‘Daemongate’ players, squeaking into third by virtue of a revised lost result.

T 4th PLACE - ARMY No. 7 – TAU EMPIRE

Only Tau of the day, did really well to place this high although probably helped by the lack of terrain.

T 4th PLACE - ARMY No. 14 – CHAOS DAEMONS

The Daemongate factory list, subject of the ‘unsavoury incident’. Went on to show people it wasn’t the rules misinterpretation that had got him the three wins (later revised to draws) on day one – he won both games on day two and would have got a perfect 100/100 had the first days results stood. Well done him

T 6th PLACE - ARMY No. 13 - KNIGHTS

Yawn…..

T 6th PLACE - ARMY No. 5 – CHAOS SPACE MARINES

Really nice chaos list, lots of customization, happy to see them in the top ten.

T 8th PLACE - ARMY No. 10 - ORKS

Great Evil Sunz (?) Ork list, I do believe belonging to Dakka’s very own XC-18?

T 8th PLACE - ARMY No. 20 – TITANS BASTARDS SPACE MARINES

Well played lads. Now off to your foam boxes for a well-earned rest.

10th PLACE - ARMY No. 15 - SPACE MARINES - Blood Angels

This guy doing really well to place in the top 10 using the old codex. Well done sir!