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I'm just curious about what kind of thought goes into the list selection for tournaments? I know some are two list and some are three list, and you have to play each list you bring. Is there a guide/some tips written up anywhere about what things you should be thinking of when you put your lists together?

Generally the idea is to have one list cover the weaknesses of the other.

If one list would generally get screwed by faction X, the other list can be your Anti-X list.

But the best rule for a tournament list is to be familiar with it. Play enough games with it so you have it down. What turn should I be popping my Feat, any enemy builds that can give this list trouble, how should I deploy, should my deployment strategy change against a certain opponent, etc...


Some general things all players should think about having an answer for.

Do I have the ability to counter a fully stealthed enemy army?

Do I have the ability to counter Tough?

Do I have an answer for an army that can't be targeted by shooting?

Do I have an answer for an army that can't be targeted by magic?

Do I have an answer for an army that puts 50+ models on the table?

Can I crack a list that has very high armor saturation?

Do I have upkeep removal?

Wow, looking at those "things to prepare for" makes me think I need to up my game. Seriously...an entire army of stealth models? So for a 3 list format do you think it would be a good idea to take 2 reasonably well balanced lists (one more anti armor and one more anti infantry/numbers) and then one "skew"?

Also I'm assuming Convergence isn't exactly a strong choice at the moment. It's not a serious tournament so I can actually proxy the unreleased models, but they still don't seem to have as much in the way of options. I doubt anybody would get hung up over not knowing what the models do, since they seem to have been spoiled pretty heavily and are "the new hotness" apparently.

Just to relate to my above questions, Directorix and Lucant seem to be our "A list" castors. Although Axis is really growing on me the more I look at him. An axis tier list could be a pretty interesting "dude spam/respawn" kind of skew. Also Directorix and a couple units of elimination servitors could be a fun and unexpected way to ping the enemy's caster (backlash plus a ton of puncture shots?).

Well for some armies it isn't that hard, for example, Cygnar take this question;

 Grey Templar wrote:
Do I have upkeep removal?

And see this

Do I have eEiryss in one of the lists

And other armies have a way to simplify those questions as well.

Im not the best player, but ill try and run down my particular list process (at 50) The warcaster I am most comfortable with and who I feel handles the most matchups for me is harbinger. So I can comfortably handle most matchups or matchups im not familiar with as much. Then I think about what scares my harby list. My opinion is that harby doesnt like ret (especially ravyn or ossyan), lists that have too many guns, or something with super high armor skew. Next, I go through my available casters and see who meets these matchups best. For me this is either feora2 or kreoss3. Since my collection lends itself to a better feora2 list, ive chosen her. I feel that her biggest issue is upkeep removal I put epic eiryss in the list

Edit 1: unless the tournament requires you to play both lists you dont have to

3 list formats are cool but kinda suck (in that you have to carry 3 lists worth of models around).

3rd lists are great for adding a skew list (eButcher tier with 42 doom reevers for example).

Well, often you will have common units between lists.

Like all my Menoth lists are pretty much going to have Choir, 2 vassals, and Errants in them. And jacks will probably be similar as well.