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Damien the Bloodfeaster
Sergeant
883 Posts
    
Portland, OR
 | | 07/01/2007 10:13 PM |
| A total of 21 people showed up--one of our biggest to date for a prerelease tournament.
A total of four (!) Large Gold Dragons were pulled, and one of the four came in first. The others were pretty scattered throughout the field, however, so it didn't do too much better or worse than many other warbands. There were also quite a few Noble Salamanders present. No Frost Giant Jarls were pulled, however, to my knowledge.
I had heard that in some prerelease tournaments participants were allowed to use the repaint as an option for their warband; we were not given that option at this tournament, though.
I pulled the following:
RARES: Orc Banebreak Rider, Noble Salamander
UNCOMMONS: Assassin, Halfling Tombseeker, Warpriest of Vandria, Verdant Reaver, Cerebrilith, Greenspawn Zealot
COMMONS: Greyhawk City Militia Sergeant, Delver Sergeant, Deep Legionnaire, Prisoner, Gnoll Claw Fighter (x2), Carnage Demon, Kobold Trapmaker
From the above, here's the warband I built:
Orc Banebreak Rider
Noble Salamander
Assassin
Halfling Tombseeker
Greyhawk City Militia Sergeant (Cmr 3)
Delver Sergeant (Cmr 3)
Deep Legionnaire
Prisoner
MAP: Frostfell Rift
The core of my band (Orc Rider, Noble Salamander) was pretty obvious. I decided the Assassin would be a better fit than the Gnolls, since I have a number of units that can help set up flank. I went with two cheap commanders rather than the Warpriest, since it made it that much harder to put my band entirely out of command. The Tombseeker and Prisoner were my victory point scoring machines, and by an large did an excellent job of it.
ROUND ONE
vs. Brian, running an Arcadian Avenger, Cerebrilith, Noble Salamander, Large White Dragon, Delver Sergeant on the Broken Demongate Map
I lost map initiative--the first of many, many initiatives I would lose for most of the tournament--and we played on Broken Demongate. This was about the only game where my Prisoner didn't earn me any victory points.
It took several rounds for battle to be joined. I was on the cave side of the map, with the Tombseeker on the magic circle victory area, and he failed to put any units on the nearby start area (I did win side initiative, and had him go first, which helped). That Tombseeker ended up netting me 45 victory points before the end. He did kill a couple of my units, but never got any victory points of his own, and in the end my points plus the lesser units of his warband I managed to off gave me the win on points at the end of the hour. (1-0)
ROUND TWO
vs. Taylor, running a Shadow Dragon, Greater Barghest, Heirophant of the Seventh Wind, Greyhawk City Militia Sergeant, Assassin, Prisoner, and two Carnage Demons
Taylor is one of the best players in the area, and I wasn't looking forward to facing the combination of Shadow Dragon and Greater Barghest. I believe we did end up playing on my map (Frostfell Rift), but other than that, I think I lost every initiative. I scored victory points with my Tombseeker and/or Prisoner pretty much every round, and took out a Carnage Demon before the end, but he was able to take out my big hitters and outscore me on victory points at the point time was called. Repeatedly missing with my Assassin on his flanked Barghest also did not help (by the way, in five rounds of play, not a single opponent failed the DC 15 save vs. the Death Attack). I think Taylor went on to place in the top 4. (1-1)
ROUND THREE
vs. James, running a Large Gold Dragon, Prisoner, Greyhawk City Militia Sergeant, and Champion of Dol Dorn
I know I won map initiative on this one, but again believe I failed every in-game initiative, even after I finished off his commander in round 2. He took out his own prisoner with a breath weapon (I'm still not sure why he did that), and was left with a very nasty dragon and the Champ of Dol Dorn. We engaged along one of the edges of the map, and while I moved my main hitters in there, my Prisoner/Tombseeker were at the center victory area, racking me up 20-25 points a round.
He was able to chew through my Orc Rider pretty quickly, but between him, the Salamander, and the Assassin I ended up outdamaging the dragon; he also forgot to use the strength boost of the Champion of Dol Dorn, which would have resulted in my Salamander dying before it could do more damage to the dragon. I got the dragon to half, and my opponent failed his save by 1; with no commander, he could not rally it, and the game was over. (2-1)
ROUND FOUR
vs. Josh, running a Greater Barghest, Cleric of Dol Dorn, Shadowbane Inquisitor, Guard of Mithral Hall, Drow Enforcer, Greyhawk City Militia Sergeant, and Shadow, IIRC, using the Dragon Shrine map
My luck was terrible this round. Other than winning side initiative (and picking the side with the fire shrine to deny it to my opponent), I lost initiative through the first half of the game. Between the Orc Rider and Salamander I failed 3 incorporeal checks on the Shadow (including from a trample) and rolled a nat 1 on one attack. I had the Rider trample over the Shadow and get to his victory area, and hit the Drow, pushing it back a bit. Then at the start of the next round he swarmed the Orc and took it out. I backpedaled toward the statue of Tiamat, where the Tombseeker and Prisoner were doing their thing, and switched dice. My rolls finally improved, but at that point there was simply too much beef to overcome, and he systematically took out my remaining warband. I did manage to rout his Guard of Mithral Hall, though. (2-2)
ROUND FIVE
vs. Jamie, running a Noble Salamander, Mind Flayer Lich, Delver Sergeant, Kalashtar Bodyguard, Ice Mephit, Guard of Mithral Hall, using the Teleport Temple
She won map initiative, but picked my map. I was able to stagger my units forward, so the Mind Flayer's spells were spread out between the Salamander and Orc Rider; once we engaged my attack rolls were better than in prior rounds, and I was able to whittle through her forces (including pushing the Kalashtar into the pit twice; she failed her 2nd save, but only had 5 hp left at that point). The Ice Mephit I was careful to take out early with a trample attack. (3-2)
***
At the end of the day I came in about 6th or so. Nobody was undefeated; we had 5 people go 4-1, and probably another six to eight go 3-2 like myself. Boosters were distributed and prizes given. Whew, what a day! My best to all my fellow players and to the gaming venue for a day of enjoyment. | | | |
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Lord_rock
Underboss
1777 Posts
Portland OR
| | 07/02/2007 11:39 AM |
| 4 gold Dragons and 3 Lady Vols!!! don't forget them... even pulling the large gold I was more scared of her...
My boosters (as far as I can remember)
Rares: LG GOLD DRAGON!!! dire wraith!!!
Uncommons: bargast, ice mephit, Champion of Dol dorn, arcadian avenger,giant eagle
commons: gaurd of mithril hall, delver sergt, deep gnome, carnage demon, darkmantle, hob gob marshal, gnoll clawfighter, krenshar.
I was actually disapointed to pull goldie. I'd read the other pre-release results and saw how poorly they were fairing and hearing 3 others were pulled I wasn't stoked. It neither fits my play style nor did I get great support. I knew it was going to be a long day either way since the wraith was my other choice. Hearing the wraith done well in a tourny or two I breifly considered running it with my other good hitters (dire wraith, arcadian avenger, dol dorn, bargast, hob gob marshal, delver sergt, krenshar, deepgnome!). Seeing all the other gold I knew I didn't really have a choice. Knowing my competition I knew the gold gave me the best chance. And as my friend taylor said "Everyone would just laugh at you if you didn't take first and didn't play the gold".
So gold titan it was. 60pts... crap!!!
Commander(s): I pulled one great commander and one poor commander. I would have been much better off with the milita sergt but alas it was not to be so. Weighing my commander options i decided on chancy. The delver sergt would be very nice for the cmd 3 but worthless in my low activation band and an easy 15pts... I could get more milage out of 2 more acts (krenshar and deep gnome). The Hobgoblin's motivate could have been and was game changing with the gold as the motivated. He was also the most sturdy of the two and with the gold's hoard could hold his own vs. any small fodder sent his way (and flanking with the gold +11 for 15m ain't bad). So rather than 2 I went for 1 and hoped my experience in protecting and placing weak commanders would turn out (it did, I only lost him once).
Support: It was a tough tough choice since I was sitting at 162pts with only two pieces. Both the ice mephit and the gaurd of mithril hall were excellent options- auto dmg or an extra att for goldie when the guard goes down. The arcadian avenger was also a solid piece but low low low save and low low low cmd would have been disasterous. then I took a look at the gnoll clawfighter... +11/11 for 10m and rend with fearless, fast, and 2/1+ hp/cost ratio... hits for 40 on a pounce charge at +13/13... and no moral worries... alright he's in as a sleeper threat (it worked out excellent once and ok the rest of the time)... Umm 186pts... Ice mephit and 4 acts or Krenshar and deep gnome or darkmantle for the same costish... Krenshars cause fear would be huge huge huge with low save fodder running about... deep gnome could be a solid charge blocker and an excellent flanker (stonestep), or 2-3 rnd tilegrabber, and 25ac on my map or choice(kings road), darkmantle might get me first round pts but was worthless after that.
SO:
large gold dragon
Hob Gob Marshal
gnoll claw fighter
deep gnome
krenshar
5 acts... kings road... oh crap crap crap crap crap... where is my king's road map!!!
So I spent the last 10 minutes looking for my map. Couldn't find it... Tried to buy one... store didn't have any... crap... "I need all registration sheets"... "just looking for my map"... crap crap crap... "I really do need all sheets"... crap crap crap... "Kyle Rakoz, Please come to the front desk"... crap crap crap... think think think... thieves quarter I gues... I can always cordon... though i am loath to do so... not many people are familiar wiht it... I can play more predatary with the gold than usual...and I need a map now, besides with cmd one I'll not be using mine anyway. Thieves Quarter it is.
Round One:
Don't remember name
Lg Gold
WP of Vandaria
giant eagle
lost map: dragonshrine
A band that I actually out activate??? Nice... my strategy was route the giant eagle to deny wrath and then make sure I get wrath even if I have to cone my own fodder. It worked. I went up on tile pts round one, went up farther on round 2 with more pts and routed his eagle wiht my Krenshar. his dragon fire coned my krenshar (dead) and gnoll (made save!). Round three set up the hob gob motivate dragon, dragon coned cmder and moved to victory area!! he failed his save but didn't route. I could have went for hte kill but decided wrath might prove the deciding factor on the likely engagement. Round four was more tile pts for me, some for my opponent and me moving my dragon as far a possible away from the exit while hiding my hob gob. when my oppnent came to me as I was way up on pts it was wrath vs. no wrath to carry the day for me. 1-0
Second round of play:
Shane
Naga
Lg White
bronze golem
wild mage
deep gnome
darkmantle
He won map... and chose kings road...
I faked with my hobgob and deep gnome going for the shared VA and moved my krenshar and gnoll along the other side. moving the dragon last I hit him in the central forest so he'd have to come to me. Krenshar routed darkmantle and a wildmages wild aura kept the naga and himself from doing any dmg on two casts. round three was bronze golem going after the claw fighter and knocking him down to 5, me moving deep gnome to the VA, and krenshar basing wildmage. He took out the krenshar and clawfighter. I then used the magic move: hobgob movitave lg gold, gold moves and breathes on naga, deep gnome, and wild mage. Naga is the only one to make it out alive. His bronze was too extended to help and the white had to double move to get there. Round 4 was Gold routing white and gnoll missing the pounce charge on bronze... naga AoO and makes moral save after gold hits. Bronze is set up for charge. Double move hob gob and deep gnome camps in VA. next round was Naga hunting by gold after another motivate move att and I won the next round when the naga died and took the bronze golem with him. | |
Rock Bottom Pricing:
Arcane Archer 30, Centaur Hero 67, Human Cleric of Bane 25, Gold Champion 34, Death Knight 52, Goblin Blackblade 9, Silentwolf Goblin 7, Orc Raider 10, Dwarf axefighter 9, Healer 9, Thaskor 65, Aspect of Demogorgon 71, Ogre 9, Fire Giant 79, Human Wanderer 7, Drunken Master 18, Barghest 12, Longstider Barbarian 27, Longtooth Barbarian 22, Frost Giant 76, Ravenous Vampire 42, Large Earth Elemental: priceless | |
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Lord_rock
Underboss
1777 Posts
Portland OR
| | 07/02/2007 1:44 PM |
| Third Round of play:
Bart (and the scariest band I played all day)
Lady Vol
Dire Tiger
Bargast
deep gnome
He chose kings road after seeing I brought thieves quarter
He knew my strategy on kings road would be to camp in the forested VA. I wasn't sure what my strategy would be as his three hitters could decimate my band. I took a chance on round 1 and magic motivated, moved, and fire coned his tiger and lady vol... they both saved!!! damn now I'm in trouble. Krenshar couldn't get his gnome to route and the bargast was set up to try to wipe out my clawfighter. Round two the tiger beat on my gold and Vol hit once too. I took another gamble and went wiht the weaken breath and took the AoO's to move away after miss Vol failed and the tiger made his. I was hurting bad and in poor possitions. The bargast ate my krenshar and I set up the super charge on the tiger with my clawfighter and flanked with my gnome after a stonestep. He won init and I knew I was screwed. Vol charged my gold and hit forcing moral!!! I rolled a 5!!! Lady Vols Aura of fear 3 makes me run run run away. I'm 3 squares from exit but under command. Hobgob moves to a safe spot, gnoll gets in the the super charge for 30 on the tiger but he saves (the gnome actually hit him once or twice in there) making this look very bleak...Bargast double moves to get within striking range of my commander. He wins init and bases the dragon with Vol again... Shite!!! and bargast atts my commander... Shite again... hits...shite... but the Hob Gob saves!!! and moves away thanks to cover. Rally the dragon with a 9! (exactly what I need) my gnoll and gnome keep after the dire tiger. Its a dice game now. To make a long story short the gnoll and gnome get the tiger down to 20 before he kills them and the bargast nad vol go after my gold. The hobgob manages a hit or two on Vol since he's +11 15m wiht the flank before he goes down. My opponent can only miss 2 of his next atts 8 atts for the win but misses more. The dragon takes down Vol, takes down, bargast, and the tiger before he can do 80 dmg. Wow wow wow... Any one or two rolls my opponents way and I would have lost... My Dragons big AC finally pays off, Hoard was huge huge huge this game (as was gnome's conceal 6) allowing my support to actually do some dmg and boosting thier ac in forest... Weaken breath might have been the key vs Vol!!! Post game we went over the few things my opponent didn't do so well and what he could have done better but it just came down to guttsy guttsy moves on my part and his bad dice rolls... 3-0
Round 4 of Swiss...
VS. Taylor (my best friend)
Damn...
Shadow dragon
Bargast
assassin
Hierophant
Grey Hawk city Milita
carnage demonx2
prisoner
I won map so we played thieves quarter (as I knew he had not played it before)!!!
Basically this game was over round 2... his prisoner was exposed but made the cause fear moral save (by the virtue of the greyhawk city militia)... He won init and went for the Cordon... Had I won i would have motivated, moved breathed on this shadow dragon and denied the cordon... since he won he got his prisoner out of range heirophant and shadow dragon on his VA and when the bargast made his save Vs my breathweapon I knew it was over. I managed to kill his assassin, bargast, 1 carnage demon, and greyhawk militia but wiht his Prisoner and the Cordon I ended up losing by 30pts or so. I didn't mind losing to him but we vowed to never play thieves quarter and cordon ever again... I was going to do the same to him... 3-1 and Taylor is the only undeafeated after 4...and my only loss is to him... I can deal with that.
NO CUT TO TOP 4!!! This angers many since we had a good number of drops (at least 3 and maybe 5)
Round 5 of Swiss
Zach
Hierophant
Bronze
Bargast
Tombseeker
Hob Gob Marshal
Also over round 2... The magic move... Motivated, moved and based hierophant, breathed on him and Hob Gob since I could fire cone my own squares... game was over when the hierophant goes pop with the bronze attached...
So 4-1... Taylor and Bart Played right beside me... it was not over till it was over but Taylor lost his shadow dragon early thanks to a double move Swif action Impossing will by Lady Vol wiht the failed save and then the feral surge pounce with the tiger. Lady Vol made her save vs. Spark of life and it was a very very uphill battle after that. Taylor managed to take out his Tiger and Bargast but at that point it was Lady Vol and fodder Vs. Taylor's Hierophant, assassin, and fodder. Either other hitter and He might have had a chance or if Lady Vol failed vs. Spark of life... but she still had about 80hp and Bart would have won on pts in the next few rounds. Now the there are 5 4-1 players: Me, Taylor, Bart, Josh, and one other... I beat Bart, Bart beat Taylor, Taylor may have beated either Josh or the other guy... So It all came down to Tie breakers...
By losing only to Taylor and Beating Bart I took 1st. The "other guy" took 2nd, Bart took 3rd, Taylor 4th, and Josh 5th...
Excellent tourny... excellent play... well done... Thank you Rainy Day Games...
Lessons Learned:
I hate playing wiht the Large Gold Dragon... He does not suite my style at all... That being said He's a beast and when LG gets great cheap support he's tough tough tough to take down. Dragon's Hoard makes his support pieces very worthwhile (Sacred watcher +12 for 10/20m and a 22ac!!!) Someone will make it work but for constructed it won't be me.
Large Gold Dragons do not equal top 4... I think the three others placed one in the top 8 and the other two way way way out...
LE gets the goods too: Lady Vol is just as big a beast as the Lg Gold and costs 42pts less... watch out. Greater Bargast is great, he'll see play constantly... Prisoner is perfect, he'll see play, easy points and cheap...
7pt pieces: Krenshar is amazing, the time of the timber wolf is waning... Deep gnome, while slower, is excellent 7 pts... he will contribute... your opponents will miss him more than you'd think...
Dire Tiger: Will see play... too good at what he does to not be worthwhile... Feral surge and pounce away and watch your opponent cringe...
Shadow Dragon: drop that third or fourth Black Dragon... Maybe even 2 of them...
Assassin: +12/12 while flanking means your opponent will take dmg from this guy... IN LE that's likely to be higher... as long as your opponent has sneak attable figs this guy will be worth his points...
Hierophant: Excellent new commander... that commander effect makes every 2 att piece way more viable... warband building is likely to create great combos...
Good luck to everyone next week... I don't think I'll be making it to any more... Maybe see you at Pax...
KER
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Rock Bottom Pricing:
Arcane Archer 30, Centaur Hero 67, Human Cleric of Bane 25, Gold Champion 34, Death Knight 52, Goblin Blackblade 9, Silentwolf Goblin 7, Orc Raider 10, Dwarf axefighter 9, Healer 9, Thaskor 65, Aspect of Demogorgon 71, Ogre 9, Fire Giant 79, Human Wanderer 7, Drunken Master 18, Barghest 12, Longstider Barbarian 27, Longtooth Barbarian 22, Frost Giant 76, Ravenous Vampire 42, Large Earth Elemental: priceless | |
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