Friday, August 28, 2015

Game Year Wrap-Up

For you who have been reading my blog over the years, you may remember that I benchmark the start of the gaming year at August 15+/-, coinciding with what had been the former, long ago, mythical HardBoyz tournament prelims.  The following is my W/D/L record for the past five years.

2014-2015 Record for Third Company Ultras/5th Company Blood Angels:

25 Wins 4 draws 9 Losses
2013-2014 Record for Third Company: 19 Wins 1 Draws 11 Losses
2012-2013 Record for Third Company: 21 wins 3 Draws 17 Losses
2011-2012 Record for Third Company: 18 Wins 7 Draws 15 Losses
2010-2011 Record for Third Company: 35 Wins 10 Draws 30 Losses

As last year's blog post, I have normalized each year to get a measure of improvement, giving a win 3 quality points, a draw as 2 quality points, and a loss as 1 quality point. The game year averages then become:

2014-2015 QPS = 2.421
2013-2014 QPS = 2.258
2012-2013 QPs = 2.097
2011-2012 QPs = 2.075
2010-2011 QPs = 2.066

The first thing that really sticks out is that I'm average (Still a solid "2") and still improving. Pretty much on average every game could have been a win at this point. Anyone reading my reports could come up with the same conclusion.  Most of my games can hinge over a single deciding point or set of dice results (or draw of a maelstrom tactical objective card), which remains for me, pretty cool.  I'd rather have fun games than one-sided struggles.

Another way to normalize the data is as percentages:

2014-2015 = 66% W; 10%D; 24% L
2013-2014 = 61% W; 3% D; 36% L
2012-2013 = 51% W; 7% D; 41% L
2011-2012 = 45% W; 18% D; 38% L
2010-2011 = 47% W; 13% D; 40% L

One aspect of the numbers above is not apparent...I'm still playing in fewer tournament games (similar to the prior year).  Things have been really busy and keeping me away from local events.  Another factor not included is that some of the people I considered some of the best in the game - are not playing 40K at all. On the other hand, maybe I am playing better with Blood Angels than I can have imagined...

One aspect of course that I'm enjoying is that in 7th Edition 40K is that my Blood Angels and Ultramarines have proven to be really good with Maelstrom Missions, and the game sizes have been somewhat smaller (1500 to 1850 points in size).  Of course that is also more of a qualitative observation than something I've collected data on.

Another aspect is that there have been a few rare new players coming in, and frankly I hate to try to beat them in friendly games.  Case in point...

Photos from the LAST GAME of my Gaming Year!

Yep! The Blood Angels find Necrons infesting a Calth-class planet.  I'm using the same list as the last few games - I've deployed here, just the preds and razorbacks and DC.  Everything else is in reserves! Notice I went deployed just on the wings.  The Necrons emerged from the ice in a long, thin, metallic line...the mission was the maelstrom version where you only get cards for the number of objectives you hold...Necrons went first.  I wanted to see where they'd go...My opponents were a father-son pair - the dad wanted to learn how to play 40K, and the son had an experience necron list.  I just wanted to make sure everyone had fun!

The necrons saw I had three units on my right flank - so their army moved in that direction.  The C'Tan and the Ark (carrying the praetorians and Overlord) would eventually lead the attack on my right flank...which is what I thought might happen...

      Bam...down slams the pod on the left flank.  At this point, I'd lost one predator - if anything, I should have hiddent them behind cover better on deployment, but my objective in this game was to have fun!  The pod has a deathstorm launcher and beacon.  It landed next to an objective and the Triarch Stalker...

Into turn 2...the necron's flyer arrives from reserves, and the Necrons are still mostly fixated on my right flank.  The death company was restrained as bait behind cover...

Bam Bam BAM! In comes the Angels Wrath formation!  Nothing like dropping in 27 assault-ready marines on your flank...

Turn 4...The necrons had actually assaulted the death company and eliminated them, but by then my Razorback and demi-tac squad were already someplace else (the center) to grab objective points. The Necrons on my left flank were getting the "we won't be back" treatment...the Angel's wrath formation started rolling up the flank while everyone else looked for points.  I actually had been behind in points till now...

I would have liked to seen this assault completely played out...

Last photo before my opponents called the game due to time constraints...we ended as a DRAW! Tie game!  Overall, it was a great time, and not only did we talk alot about how the game is played, we also talked about how tactics come into play (like building a trap and getting the opponent to go off in the wrong direction).

Well, it was an AWESOME gaming year - my best since I've been tracking them!

Am looking forward to my next game...might be time to use the Ultramarines battle company...


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