GAST Masters 2012 Part 1: 40k, Beers & 'The Fly'

GAST is Göteborg's most awesome gaming club. In fact it is one of the best gaming clubs I have ever had the pleasure of been part of (though not a full member yet as Pär still needs to 'sell' me a key-membership). The club is based in what is essentially a large ground floor flat with 2 rooms for gaming and a kitchen for spraying, terrain building or more gaming. The walls are lined with shelving units that hold all manner of gaming paraphernalia including some of the most awesome count-as 40k armies I have ever seen (I hope to photograph them for some future posts). It is a true gamers heaven. People are down there most evenings of the week, playing, painting or just hanging out. The vibe and the creative energy is phenomenal. On top of all that is the fact that its members are some of the friendliest and most welcoming people around. They have really made me feel at home in the few months since I moved here. So when Joakim asked if I was entering the GAST masters, aka their Christmas party of beer, banter and 40k, I jumped at the chance...

Is Joakim actually Justin from Killswitch Engage?
What do you think? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

... and then in typical me fashion got too tied up in Uni work and forgot about submitting an army list or that it was this weekend! Doh! Not a real problem, it is after all a none serious, super relaxed day of gaming (the Masters tag is a little ironic as in fact the most coveted prizes have nothing to do with winning games of 40k). After I had been reminded I asked to borrow Joakim's Nurgle CSM to have a play around with the codex and came up with the following list:

NEIL'S GAST MASTERS NURGLE

Typhus

24 Plague Zombies

7 Plague Marines with 2 Plasma Guns

4 Nurgle Spawn

Helldrake aka 'The Fly'

2 Nurgle Obliterators

Total = 1000p

All the lists had been published on our forum in advanced and any that were deemed too tough and cheesy were told to re-write as the GAST Masters is about having a laugh. Regarding my list opinion was divided; some where not happy about The Fly and other elements, others said whilst it was tough it was inherently flawed due to the missions requiring lots of scoring units to complete... What missions I thought? Oh those super special missions where most need lots of troops to win? Ah well they were right and I was likely screwed. But who cares as this day was all about having a laugh with mates.

GAME 1 vs DAVID UTTER - ELDAR

Farseer with Divination Powers
5 Dragons + Waveserpent with Shuriken Cannons
2x10 Guardian Units with Scatter Lasers
18 Guardians with Bright Lance
6 Jetbikes with 2 Shurkien Cannons & Warlock with Destructor
Wraithlord with Bright Lance & EML

This was going to be an interesting game against David. His army relied on short range firepower to get the job done. But it that it could pump out a hell of a lot, especially if that big unit got Prescience or the like cast on it. My army whilst tough was small and could easily be undone but massed shooting. That said we both knew that if I could get the bulk of my force in amongst his lines quickly then it would be a real problem for him to deal with. I had chosen my primary mission to be that I had to kill all his Guardian units and my secondary was to slay his Farseer (we could pick our missions but once chosen you couldn't use them in future games). I figured that since I had to get in amongst his army as quick as possible and just try to beat it down then those missions best supported that strategy.

Utter's army and the vortex coming to get them

By contrast Utter had elected that his Primary was to hold his two objectives (one in, one just outside his DZ) whilst the other was to have more of his units than mine in his DZ at the end of the game. Clearly he was NOT planning to come out and meet me in close combat (who could blame him?). All that was left was to roll on the 'weather' table... yes we had a weather table like in Bloodbowl, but much more 40K esque.... we got the Vortex of Doom! So now there was a rogue vortex in the middle of the board that would scatter at the start of each player turn. Any model touched by it, including flyers, would be instantly removed from play! Punkt!

Turn 1 and I begin to shamble my zombie horde towards David's army whilst my Spawn rushed up my right flank behind a wood and into position for a potential second turn charge. The Plague Marines scored a cheeky glancing hit against the Wave Serpent. But then the wood David has deployed in turned out to be an Iron Bark Forest so my Obliterators shooting against his Wave Serpent behind was deflected straight off. Boooo! Utter moves his Guardians up bringing the majority into catapult range of my Spawn, with his Jetbikes and Waveserpent swinging round to draw a line through the forest to my Obliterators (they couldn't see the Spawn). He opens fire against them first and scores 2 wounds which I promptly roll snake eyes for and down goes an Obliterator. Doh! He then fires everything else at the Spawn but a combination of T6 and a 5+ Cover save results in only a single Spawn going down to his army.

BBBRRRAAAIIIIIINNNSSS

Turn 2 and I just get straight to it. My Spawn launch forwards and line up a charge against his biggest Guardian unit which includes the Farseer whilst everything else in my army moves forward. Now this is where I try something cheeky, I have positioned the Spawn to block LOS to most of the Farseer's unit meaning that I can now focus fire the Obliterator's assault cannon at them with only the Farseer and a few other guardians in LOS. They guardians go straight down and but the Farseer manages to pass her invulnerable save. Ah well worth a try. Straight to the assault phase, I measure the distance from Typhus and his Zombies to Utter's Guardians in the Iron Bark forest.. they are 9" away. I think what the hell I may as well try to charge them. Utter declines to use his overwatch fire against them, instead opting to save it for the Spawn who are a sure charge. So 9" on 3d6 taking away the highest.... EASY! I rolled 6,6,3 and with a cry of BRAAAAAAIIIIINNNNS the Zombies and Typhus hit the Guardian line. The Spawn followed up and soon enough the centre of Utter's army had been devoured. RAARRRRRR!

David tries to counter and draws his forces back to open up on the Spawn but the Iron Bark Forest and their T6 means damage is minimal. He then charges his Wraithlord into my Zombies to tarpit them down. I then realise that the bloody thing is a character, so have to challenge it. Typhus steps up and is promptly stepped on! Why doesn't he have Eternal Warrior??? WHY? WHY? WHY?

Blurp! and there go David's Jetbikes

That however was going to be the only highlight of the game for Utter. Turn 3 sees The Fly arrive, zoom across the board and vomit all over his Jetbikes killing all 6 of them including the Warlock straight out. My spawn the leap into his remaining Guardians and gobble them up in short order. His Wraith Lord squishes a few Zombies but he is ever going to kill them all before the game ends. Utter has only his dragons and serpent left. He jumps them out and goes for a little glory and targets the The Fly but luck does not shine on him. In 'retaliation' the Fly goes into hover mode, flies backwards a little and then cooks the Fire Dragons with his vomit. I pop the Serpent with some plasma fire from the Plague Marines and, ignoring the tarpitted Wraithlord, the board is mine.

Reflecting on the game we were both without a doubt that the second turn 9" difficult terrain charge by the Zombies ended the game there and then for Utter. It was pretty harsh for him but then again 'he who dares, wins.' Also The Fly was horrifically good. 2 turns on the board saw it kill 6 Jetbikes and 5 Firedragons with its flamer, plus some guardians with its vector strike (everyone was soon to be heard musing about why had I ever been allowed to use it in my army...).

So many zombies, so little time

Despite that Utter is a top guy to play against, he actually won most sporting GAST player of the year later that day, and his Eldar are frankly gorgeous. With the game done we both slinked off to the Systemet (Swedish state run off-license) to get some beers for the rest of the day's 40k and banter.

Part 2 tomorrow*

Neil

*or possibly a little later in the week depending upon how much studying I get done for my final exam on Friday