UK nationals report

[le_wahou]

I had a wonderful week end at UK nationals. Most of the games were really fun. I ended up 50. I really think that I deserve this position because of the numerous mistakes I have made during the tournament. I do not have the feeling that my defeats were due to the efficiency of my models. Every defeat was linked to a mistake made in game. I would have maybe had another opinion if I got to top tables. I was surprised by the efficiency of 2 models : Phiona Gage as tank, and undercover reporter as position/scheme denial model.

Thanks to @Clousseau for the organization. Thanks to @bedjy for being a jolly fellow during this weekend. A Ten thunder, but still a jolly fellow. Thanks to the Netherlands team for the fun during both evenings. I am not so eager to see your cows during next tournaments

I am not sure of the opponent’s teams. There are probably errors as I did not register them during the tournament. If you see one, please correct me.

Round 1 vs Graham Bursnell

I was afraid after boss choice. Parker is a bad match up for Nellie due to their +flip attack. I had to change my usual Nellie and replace false witness / field reporter by other models.
He played aggressively on beginning, killing press turn 1 while I moved to get in position. Nellie also started to take damage
On turn 2, I sent Grimwell on left and field reporter+lone marshall on right to score outflank. The lone Marshall got killed by Midnight stalker + Parker. Nellie stayed middle to deny and deliver message to Parker. The undercover reporter popped on middle to deny opponent’s schemes.
Turn 3 : Grimwell killed the left flanking model of Parker. Phiona got back toward middle to protect the undercover. The undercover denied schemes again. Nellie stayed middle to heal with interacts. Parker killed the undercover reporter on my right.
Turn 4 and last : Nellie went with Parker on right flank to outflank and deliver message 2nd part. Parker tried to kill her but failed. Phiona ran away from middle to deny the opponent’s second reckoning. The undercover reporter denied schemes for opponent’s harness. Grimwell failed to kill a bandido sent by opponent to score 2nd outflank

Round 2 vs Dave Laing

Big failure for me. There was a lot of impassable on middle. LOS were short. I should never have picked Perdita. This ended as a brawl beetwen 2 wagons. The opponent used his ashigaru very efficiently, blocking a pass beetwen 2 impassable terrains and forcing me to kill them before attacking Izamu or Yan Lo. The ashigarus survived until turn 3. Yin and Manos dropped their bomb on turn 2 and came back to end wounded models.The game was already lost at this moment.

Round 3 vs Carl Lee

Versus a summoner, I was sure that I would get pass tokens and initiative to choose placement of idols on turn 2-3 and hoped I would have done enough kill to control map after. I went full on my right side, killed one model, and used reporter on turn 2 to remove another. First idol went on my left, 2nd on center as I did not have cards to place it. My opponent controlled his right side. On middle, LJ failed to do significant damage on Manos and Ikiryo and allowed my opponent to deliver message. This prevented me from scoring strat on turn 2. The judge could also not claim jump. 0-2 on turn 2
On turn 3 I RJ initiative. I do not know why I thought I could not cheat on RJ. This gave a 2nd idol on left to my opponent. I was feeling way behind on points and sent LJ to score deliver and kill his support rather than keeping her on middle to kill Manos and Ichiro. This was the second mistake that cost the game. Manos + Ichiro delayed most of my models and tarpited middle. 1-3
Turn 4 and last : Judge died on middle, Manos was able to move the center idol to score his 3 rd strat point. LJ scored the 2nd deliver, and undercover denied search the ruins.

Round 4 vs Bert Diamond

The opponent did not use the stealthy models of his team. The undercover reporter sent back a rooster rider on one corner on turn 3, and survived the soulstone miner long enough to score outflank and denying the opponent the first point until the last turn. Francisco ran on one side to outflank and get idols. The rest of the team stayed on middle protected by Phiona to kill moving models and score claim jump.

Round 5 vs Aj Barr

I misplayed the beginning of the game and sent my team straight middle. They got slaughtered by stealthy shooters and focused gators. Nino and papa died turn 1, Abuela on turn 2. Phiona on 3, and Perdita on 4. The undercover reporter made a good job, delaying breakthrough until last turn.

Round 6 vs Troy Ashdown

I sent Grimwell + 1 reporter on left. They survived to Mizaki+Ototo on turn 1 and 2. They scored outflank, deliver a message, and controlled idols here until the end. Ototo got tarpited by Steward until the end of the game.
Phiona protected Nellie on middle until turn 3, limiting damage taken and taking control of 1 idol.
The undercover reporter delayed opponent on right on turn 1 and 2. He got support from a reporter and Nellie. On turn 4 Mizaki with her anti resist trigger + 1 woukou rider killed Nellie getting only the last point from assassinate. I could still get the idols on this turn and deny it to my opponent. Undercover reporter also denied the first point of search the ruins.
The opponent scored the idols on turn 5 and his first search the ruins

Round 7 vs Paul Wiggers

I forgot to print cards for false witness. Otherwise I would have taken 1 and detonate charges instead of Vendetta
I killed his totem turn 1 with bring it from Phiona, and attacks from Domador and Nellie. This left most of my team in my wedge. I am not sure that it was so useful. On left and right, reporters focused and schemed to get ready to retrieve bombs/hinder opponent. The opponent moved forward and dropped bombs fast. I retrieved most of them on turn 3. My team started to take heavy damage and had to get away to heal/hide. I tried to deny his points and play defensive to survive. He had to stop attacking and grab back bombs with Archie, and move Molly to score points. Philip got his Claim jumps. I missed the last activation on Nellie due to time. She  could have denied 1 point and get a draw. I would have been the best guild player.

 

[Mxbedlam]

Do you find that Grimwell shows up in your lists a lot? He seems like a good solution to a couple problems

[le_wahou]

Grimwell is the best scheme runner for guild in my opinion. We do not have 5-6 cost models with leap or ride with me. Grimwell is fast, durable (henchmen hard to wound 9hp), can put 2 schemes in one activation or interact if engaged using doctor's orders on himself. He is the cheapest model in guild able to do that with mounted guard, and he is more efficient in my opinion.

His other abilities depends on staggering opponents (attack trigger, strat/scheme denial on engaged models). This fits well with reporters.

I have tried other models to fill the scheme runner position :

_ models with creep along like Nurse Heartsbane, monster hunters or guard patrol to fill the same role. I do not feel confident with them. Creep along needs a LoS, and you can not move in the direction you want.

_ Field reporters : follow a lead is a really good movement and disengagement ability. You can prepare it by scheming with the reporter, but your opponent can still deny it by removing this scheme marker.

_ Lady Justice or Nellie. They are really good, but maybe a little expensive 😛

[4thstringer]

For scheme runners, I'm falling in love with the investigative reporter.  Like a super field reporter, but also can kill if need be.  Between follow a lead and deadly pursuit they can go 20" in a turn.  

 

I'm in complete agreement about creep along.  Its all over the faction, and when it is good it is great, but so often it is disappointing.

 

[le_wahou]

7 minutes ago, 4thstringer said:

For scheme runners, I'm falling in love with the investigative reporter.  Like a super field reporter, but also can kill if need be.  Between follow a lead and deadly pursuit they can go 20" in a turn. 

I guess you mean undercover reporter. This model is really the MVP of these games in my opinion, but I used him mostly buried until end of turn 2 or 3. While buried, he can either grant 1 AP to a model or remove 1AP from by making him interact while in base contact with his own scheme. Once unburied, he is my main denial model rather than scheme runner.

[4thstringer]

2 minutes ago, le_wahou said:

I guess you mean undercover reporter. This model is really the MVP of these games in my opinion, but I used him mostly buried until end of turn 2 or 3. While buried, he can either grant 1 AP to a model or remove 1AP from by making him interact while in base contact with his own scheme. Once unburied, he is my main denial model rather than scheme runner.

Yup.  I should make that part of my signature, because I always mess that up. 

I tried him the other week deployed as normal with 2 bombs for plant explosives, and he was amazing.  Even if you don't have a scheme marker for him, he is getting those bombs out and about.  

[Forgotten]

Thanks for the post!