Confessions of a virgin ITC Player

If you've been reading my blog for a while - you know I've largely been absent these past few months, only returning to Warhammer 40K after this ski season ended.I decided to switch back to Ultramarines from Blood Angels, and work to get back into playing in our local 8th Edition meta.  About three weeks ago I was honored to play in an invitational, and in this past weekend played in my first ITC-style event using Ultramarines and chess clocks to control time. 

WOW. 

Well, in the invitational (at 1750) things were a lot of fun, every game a close loss, but it gave me a chance to see how demons, genestealer cult, and orks play in the current environment.  My list played pretty well, but the games did not really get past turn 3.  Overall, it showed I was "pretty rusty" but my list could perform pretty well - I bet in the right hands it could have won every game.  I was too antsy, forgetful, hesitant, and unprepared. 

Zoom forward 14 days, increase the list size, and do it again...

I included my list as a comment field to my prior post...

So, with some minor adjustments, I discovered why the prior list power level was high (all it takes is adding one terminator to double the unit's calculated PL), and ended up with a list at 2000 points that would allow me to test more units!  I dragged in a unit of Suppressors (freshly painted - nearly the same cost as a HF/MM landspeeder in the same slot), so modernization continued, and two dreadnoughts - one regular, one venerable. I'd decided that anything I add has to have its own WS to have an impact in assault, which puts dreds above preds. Of course my day actually started when "some punk kid" came up, looked at my models, and said in a loud voice "hey, look at the old school stuff, you never see that anymore..." Grrrrrrrr....

In part because the ITC event fell on Holy Saturday (Easter Weekend), attendance was light (11 players to start vs the hope for a few more). Regardless, the terrain was good with about the same coverage for each table, and everyone was eager to play. The final scores and lists for the event are on the BCP app, if you are interested.  Crossroad Games, 4/20/19.

OK, I did not take many photos as compared to last time.  In part because I was frantic for 10 hours...

Game 1 vs Genestealer Cult! ITC Mission 4

Hey, this was a great way to kick off the day - my opponent and I had played at the Invitational round 3 - and now we were playing round 1 on Table 6...It was awesome, and it was my first game with a clock.  It worked pretty well.  My opponent - Tyler- showed me how the clock worked, and kept the ITC scoresheet.  We started the clock as deployment began, and paused the clock at the end of each player turn for scoring. 

Deployment...I was to deploy first, then selected to go first...both of us had healthy reserves...

Final score 27 - 22

As I said - few pictures. Needless to say, I found that the "hold more" aspect to be very difficult - the Genestealers totally controlled the board center into turn 5. Notice...turn 5...we had extra time (3 hours per game), and IIRR we both had a few minutes left on the clock when period time expired (less than 10 in total).  But this is where my issues tarted to erupt.  Under the pressure of time - I could not remember anything clearly, and had to keep looking things up!  My BattleScribe output have printed badly on 12 pages of text...I was a total mess!  I missed old school (first strike) on turn 1, due to one recalcitrant GSK minibiker, and of the 5 objectives, I held at least one, but GSK reserves wiped me off one of my home objectives, so i spent half the game with just one. And of course, no GSK game is complete without them taking over a Stormtalon and shooting up stuff!  Overall, it was a great game and way too much fun. 

Game 2 - Vs Sisters of Battle!  ITC Mission 5.       
 This game, vs Jared, is something interesting.  Jared had been at the invitational and won every game.  I'd wanted to see how he did that...we were now at Table 4.  Jared had been assigned a first round bye (20 points), so here we were.  His list has five SOB tanks - three are the kind that shoot D6 melta missiles...plus the Saint, lots of other characters, jump packs, and foot troops, and a sniper assassin. 

Its all sideways from here....

We used a chess clock app on his phone.  In this game we had alternating unit deployment.  I start off with Turn 1, and due to prepared positions and other shenanigans, I fail to take out a vehicle, but am successful elsewhere.  Again, the game is flurry of activity.  Jared could ask me the same question 5 times and I'd frantically have to try to remember or find the same answer.  Clocks. OMG.

Probably about Turn 3.  Jared is pressing the center to try to capture my two objectives.  I'm in his backfield, and trying to hold on! 

Brrrrrrrrrpppppppp.....Brrrrrrrrrrrrpppppppp....The dreadnought assaulted the survivors of this melta squad the following turn...and got melta'd. 

Towards the end....He needed my objective (#4 was worth bonus points), but it was to no avail...my clock expired on the last turn...

Ultras FTW, another really close game, 28-25, but I broke my 4-game losing streak! 

 Game 3 - Tyranids! ITC Mission 6

OK, I'm now 7 or so hours into the event at this point, and I'm going to get bugged. On TABLE 1!

I have no idea how everyone else is doing, but if I can get to the top table at this point, I'll take it!  Actually, screw that, next time let the Wookie win...just kidding.  

Yep...a giant Ultramarine-slurping bug list, OMG, head for the northern polar fortress! 

I'd deployed first, wanted to go first...but got seized.  This picture is around the beginning of turn 2, and I'd already had to absorb the first bug wave!  

My flyers had to head deep into bug territory to work to take out these hiveguard...indirect firing, he started with 6...and they are deadly!   In a few turns they were gone, but at the cost of a flyer....

This is around turn or maybe 4.  The scouts, suppressors, Tellion, and tacticals are all going to be bug food...its not easy being blue. 

Battle buddies. Trying to hold the corner...Captain with two wounds remaining...

But...he lived at the cost of the dread and the last of my CPs...

But, I did max on reaper....

And we lost...BUT it was a blast doing it.  Lots of takeaways. 

Postlude

I made so many mistakes and forget so many things and screwed up pretty much every game.  Here are a rundown of the high/lowlights (after a few days decompressing and checking on things):

1. I found out that dreds do actually explode - its hidden up top on my badly printed sheets.  Just 3 inches...no real impact to the games as such. But it coulda happened. 
2. Sternguard have 2 attacks and 1 wound.  I don't know how I kept screwing that up.
3. Quietus is H2, d3 damage...not H1 d1. Looking at you Tellion! 
4. Cyclone frag missiles are 2D3, not 1 D6.
5. Again, the Captain's storm of fire WL trait...how many 6's...
6. Landspeeders M=16.
7. Don't forget the Teleport Homer...

So yeah, it was crazy.  I'm going to throw that printout away...make a better one next tie and tab it.  OR just look at my phone.  Regardless, If I'd had to refer to the books, it would still have been a frantic day.  

You may notice I was somewhat consistent on my secondary missions - after the first game I was too frantic to get selective...old school, reaper/big game, and headhunter/behind enemy lines.  Certainly doable with my list vs my opponents, but I failed to get a few points here and there. Things to work on!   

Overall, I finished in 5th place. Best Ultramarines player of the event.  Ahem....cough cough...

I need to practice more!  memorize more! Of course your results may vary.  I'm the only one self flagellating here with my errors.  Who knows what my opponents did/learn/forgot/misplayed. Its a crazy world out there...

MING

Ps...my next step is to create or join an affiliated team...Right now my team of one is Ming's Mercs.  Team player for hire...