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As the title says, i'm considering running a very fluffy list at the October UK GT. It's going to be my Iyanden Wraithguard army. Now I know there are certain armies (such as dark eldar with poisoned weapons) which will absolutely annihilate me, but I think it could do ok against a lot of MEQ lists. I don't expect to win outright, but i'd like to go and hopefully pick up the favourite army title or something.

Is it even worth my while? Or should I take a more serious list?

Do you enjoy playing your WG army? Do you have fun with it at your lFLGS? If you awnsered yes, then I say Go for it.
Bring your army, play your game and have fun. If you go and play and be a good spot with a damm nice painted/converted army. You should do just fine.

Back when I hit the tourney on a regular bases, I brought my very uncompedative WordBearers. Out of 50+ games or so, I had one(let me type that agin) One non fun game(that I can remember).
He wasnt a bad sport or a cheat or anything, He just wanted to sit quietly and write down what killed what, so he could add kill marks to his mini's later. So it wasnt that fun for me.
On the Other hand at a one Tourney, My opponent and I were having such a blast, we had almost everyone from all the other tables gathered around us cheering and booing and talking smack.. It was Awsome!

So I say agin.. Go for it! Go have fun.

I heard biker Nobz is a cool fluff list.

Its possible, though more difficult. Ultimately, if you know your fluff list better than a cookie cutter list you are debating playing, you will probably do better with the list you are familiar with anyhow. David Fey is a great example of someone who takes a pretty fluffy army and does extremely well with it. I am certain there are others.

If you are going for soft awards lilke players choice, appearance, or sportmanship those have very little if anything to do with your army list. It's all about you and whether people like the look of your stuff.

So long as you aren't expecting to win you should have an ok time at a tournament no matter what list you bring. If you get steam rolled in the first round, you will drop down to other similar lists/players that got rolled and that game should be pretty decent (sometimes it isn't but in theory it should be).

The one thing I will say is most better players take hard lists to tournaments, so you may drop down to younger or less experienced players.

But if you want to meet some new people and have fun playing with toy soldiers then take whatever you want.

Prior to 8th, a significant number of players of the Northeast USA GT scene ran balanced, armies that were themey. Orc/gobo common goblins, rank and flank skaven, balanced empire. These happened to be pretty darn effective in tournment scenario play. Good painting scores usually helped.

I got 3rd place last year in the 'ard boyz finals with an Iyanden army list (and didn't get first only because of some craziness last game resulting in a minor loss). So WG/Iyanden is definitely competitive. Some "fluffy" lists are more competitive than others but Iyanden type lists are definitely playable and viable. Also, don't count facing DE as an auto lose, you should still have Fortune up giving you a really good save (89% chance to pass a re-rollable 3+) and if you play it right you can definitely give DE a run for the money. Shiruken Cannons and Scatter Lasers make Dark Eldar cry as S6 is amazing for taking out DE vehicles.

You need a very strong fluff list.

For 'Ard Boyz last year, I took my all-tree forest spirit army for wood elves. I barely made it to the semis, and then got mauled.

This year I'm still taking a theme list, all big stompy stuff for WoC, but it's much stronger and I hope to do a bit better.

It also helps to do some of your theme via modelling, rather than just unit selections, allowing you to work in strong units that might not have otherwise fit if you did not convert them up appropriately.

I know it sounds like a cop out, but the answer to your question is "it depends."

A fluff list built with no real regard for the meta game, with no real eye towards effectiveness, will simply have difficulties.

That said, that best list any player can take to a tournament is a list that they like, know how to play, and understand completely. A well built, but still thematic, list that's known inside and out will serve 90% of players better than a "net-list" they dont' fully understand.

I have a custom marine chapter and its fluff is that they pride themselves on always putting 4 guys and a melta inside razorbacks with lascannons

Also due to the fluff they always have fangs.. but sometimes they crave blood or other times they howl at the moon.. When I bring a blood angel or space wolf razorspam army its TOTALLY themed cause its the fluff of my chapter

Polonius wrote:I know it sounds like a cop out, but the answer to your question is "it depends."

And that's how we know Polonius is a lawyer.


On topic, I would also say that not all fluff lists are equally competitive. You're paying the money to attend, take the list you like playing with.

Tacobake wrote:I heard biker Nobz is a cool fluff list.

Its a good fluff list, until your opponent climbs to the second story of a building, where bikes cant charge, because they cant dismount from bikes yet.... Then your just shaking your fist angrily as you get gunned down. Fluff lists are fun as to play with and against tourny or not. Dont let the unkillable lists discourage you, even they can roll bad and if your a good strategist you can tie them at least. I use DOA pure list, so its fluffy....not really. In friendly games I dont take priests, flamers, meltas (I give my hero the only meltabomb) vanguard, power weapons and shields of any kind, or any powers, I just max out numbers with 2 reclusiarchs(chaplains) I have deep strike individually and hope the marines running towards you get the black rage. In a 1250 game thats about 40 marines and no they do not deep strike as its a friendly game.