The results were as follows:
The event was very closely fought as evidenced by how low the top battle score was, and how close the placings turned out.
Personally I think the gap between the (perceived) top and middle players has closed markedly in the past two years. I put this down to more events and greater balance between the books.
Thanks to Antony (and Phil Wu) for all their efforts.
Well done Pete. Only a 16 point spread over the top 10, not bad at all.
ReplyDeleteOh and congrats on getting the no.1 spot on RHQ as well.
Judging by the sheer number of games I witnessed when walking near the fantasy tables, where at the end of the game both players still had two thirds plus left of their army untouched, and nowhere near the opposition, I dare suggest that a low battle score and low spread has very little to do with how competitive things are, and are more indicative of how the game has changed to seem to have very little to do with two armies going and killing each other.
DeletePartner this with the likelihood that I could now spend months painting an army only to sit across from the table from someone who clearly just raided a Hotel recycling bin for three dozen minibar bottles, and the painfully vocal outcry and campaigning before each event that occurs on various NZ forums, and I would argue that from an outside perspective, the fantasy scene appears to be at its worst and most uninviting/unappealing than ever before.
The reality may be quite different once you’re in and at the tables, but this is how it can (and sometimes does) come across.
Hey Charlie,
DeleteI know how 40K players love their scrums in the middle of the table, so sorry you couldn't appreciate the tactical nuances at such a short glance. My dead-men certainly got up in the thick of things in every game, trying to push for that big result.
However, I am 100% behind your thoughts on the Ogre "Bottles" army, it was a complete disgrace. This hasn't been the first time that the modelling/painting aspect has been sullied at a fantasy event in the last 12 months, with other $2 Shop armies making an appearance. Yep....this is a new low for Fantasy, especially as the standard of modelling/painting for the 40k armies was superb across the board.
Rory
"Ogre "Bottles" army"
DeleteSeriously? Are there any pics of this? How do you allow that to be used?
As for the current Fantasy environment, well I can't defend it to much... Deathstar/avoidance-hammer is getting a bit dull. Especially when everyone keeps banning the things that screw it over, like big spells, congas etc.
Anyway, grats to Pete for continuing Wellington's dominance of Wargaming in NZ! :D
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DZzVgeMNxqA/T8wkNqCzbHI/AAAAAAAABhc/1LSXudBu8Ns/s1600/2012-06-03+11.29.40.jpg
DeleteWow, new low...
DeleteThat is a new low. I have to say, if I had traveled up to Nicon instead of Southcon and got drawn against this army, I would have refused to play. After spending hundreds on flights and accommodation, the sight of that alowd in a competition is absurd.
DeleteIt was a pretty sad effort.... Made me happy I was playing WarmaHordes where almost all the armies were painted. Not a good effort from the TO in my opinion.
DeleteCharlie, troll somewhere else....these fish aren't biting.
ReplyDeleteHaven't you got a level on Diablocal-3 to finish?
Pete, sorry to say but I agree with Charlie 100%, that's why I'm spending most of my time playing Flames of war these days.
ReplyDeletePoints-denial-hammer with unpainted armies or empty spirits bottles just doesn't do it for me.
I'm sorry but if I was playing at Nicon and got drawn to play the bottle army, I would have packed up my army, shaken Derick's hand and congratulated him on his 20-0 "win".
Cheers
Vod
I didn't get much chance to walk around the other tables...and played only one army where I felt getting the points out of the unit was going to be very difficult - unit of 38 Savage Orc Big Uns with 3 characters.
DeleteWith 7 wood elves there was always going to be some avoidance - I only played one and struggled to catch it (10-10).
I accept your point on Deathstars though. If you bring one you better have a plan B and so many people don't. If your entire plan is people to throw themselves under the bus then I hope you get 10-10 to oblivion when you realise that it won't win events.
I'll be writing up my games but I had really challenging series of games. As I said I think that the gap has shrunk due to a combination of more thought out lists, more events and the perhaps the nature of 8th.
Accept all your points re the Bottle army - I wouldn't have wanted to play it - and wouldn't allow it in an event I organised. I am all for expanding the range of models that are allowed at events but feel they should be models, should be appropriate for the genre etc.
Good to see you Vod....have a nice trip.
Pete
I don't have a problem with designing lists to deal with points denial/deathstars. I just don't particularly enjoy the way that v8 games are played out, to me the game has become very formulaic and more than a little dull.
DeleteAfter playing 8 games at Natcon I didn't come away from it looking forward to my next WHFB event, I found myself looking forward to getting back to Flames...
I still really like the flavour of the warhammer world, and it is my "first love" in terms of wargaming systems, so I will probably go back to it from time to time. For the time being though it just doesn't do it for me.
Vod out
You should come down south and play some WHFB. We dont nerf the big spells like some North Island events do (to be fair, nor do most of the Welly ones), which makes taking death stars a risk again.
Delete8th has defanantly moved onto a risk vs reward scenario. Love it or hate it, its better than 7th
Well done Pete on your win. It was well deserved. You were playing for top spot on game 6, and if you hadn't had a good win, Dan would have leap frogged both you and John.
ReplyDeleteAs for Bottlegate, it is entirely my fault. Derick asked if he could take it, and I OKed it. In doing so misjudged popular opinion, sorry to those offended and Derick. You will note that the army was replaced on day 2.
Antony
I would like to share some more thoughts on "Bottle-Gate".
DeleteI can only think back to when I was a 10 year old, seeing wargames miniatures for the first time and being completely blown away. My young mind was gripped in an imaginative fervour, inspired by beautiful miniatures, art and the world that GW created I went to new places and made new new stories, many of them with my best mate Graeme.
Well, that was 20 years ago now and my love for the game hasn't diminished. I can only think of my 10 year old self and what he would have thought of the game, if his first spectator experience had involved empty bottles of spirits.... it would've been the first and last tournament he would have ever attended.
Tournaments serve a dual purpose: as a place were gamers can compete against one another, and as a showcase to advertise our wonderful hobby (all game systems included!) to outsiders who maybe curious as to why two people are standing around a rectangle world in miniature.
Good call dude.
DeleteCongrats Pete an another 1st place, great stuff. Also good to see the only Dwarf up in the middle. EVEN BETTER!
ReplyDeleteSimon
Good win Pete, man i hate playing Skaven...
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, day 2 choking again haha.
Bottles, I mean really, it is such a joke its not funny. For someone who puts a lot of time and effort into there army, and then to have to play that, not cool at all.
Congrats on the Win.
ReplyDeleteAnd Taking first place on rankings off me and no doubt for the rest of the year.
However Auckland also has a larger point scale meaning its next to impossible to get a 20-0. and its something like 1k+ to get a 14-6...
What may help would be a system which encourages getting as many bps as poss even is you are losing.
ReplyDeleteNikola
Aaah....the current system does Nikola. The BPs are determined by VP differential.
ReplyDeleteWhat would be really bad is if we adopt the W/D/L system that some UK events use. That encourages really negative play.
Sorry, I didnt say what i meant very well.
ReplyDeleteI mean like the 5k system that some tournies use in the uk.
For instance, u get the vp differential as we do now, plus add the total vps u get in the game, as the final score for each round .
This means a draw where you kill each other pans out being really beneficial as a draw where you sit there is really discouraged.
Just an idea, but since our scene usess the same scoring system every tournament, no doubt everyone will be outraged at the potential changes in gameplay this would encourage
Nikola