SPARTANS. PREPARE FOR GLORY!
Welcome Brothers and Sisters, I’m James, an average closet Warhammer Nerd who has been drawn back into the Warhammer Universe by a Slaaneshi Fiend (friend) I thought I had left the Grim Dark Future behind me in the late 90’s….but it looks like I am back. Join me on my journey back to social and tournament 40K gaming.
So, with my fealty firmly pledged to the Emperor, Asterion Moloc chapter master of the Minotaurs in my thoughts, I knew I needed to start scraping an army list together somehow. The Minotaurs fascinate me. The chapter master, is a mysterious character to be feared - after all, the Custodes chapter master, Captain Valerian himself has said that he is unsure if he could defeat Moloc in single combat. So I want to do them justice.
Asterion Moloc
A myserious character to be feared…
So whilst I’m not planning on walking into warhammer hobby clubs and challenging people to single combat (Just yet), I have the honour of the chapter to uphold. But when you’ve never even played a game of 40K, how in The Emperor’s name do you plan an army list??
Well, I’ll tell you how. By going full Matt Damon Martian on that shit!! absorbing datasheets, becoming one with wahapedia, running simulation after simulation of varying combat in your head, calculating the percentages of hits, wounds, saves, invulnerbale saves, feel no pains…..aaargh my brain feels pain. Hoovering up youtube video’s and 40K information like a junkie sucking the last wafts of crack out of their pipe. (I imagine)
I am not afraid to admit that I have already watched over one hundred hours of the 40K streamed games via Wargames live on youtube and there’s no sign of me slowing down yet. We’ll find out in a few months if it will have paid off when I hit the table tops but I certainly feel like it is a great way to learn from other players.
The top players are far more calculating than the average Joe. One thing I have noticed, although they do use Meta units, they have balanced armies. Yes okay, some people with four greater daemons make it to the top tables but the real top guys (maybe girls…….just not seen one yet) don’t have polarised armies like that. I also want to have an army that people might think is a bit fun and quirky and that they will be excited to play against. But…..I also do want to win…
No Army. Never played.
Whats the worst that can happen?
Whilst still tinkering with my list I decided what better to do than to put a little extra pressure on myself, so after little to no sensible thought whatsoever, I entered the 40K London Grand Tournament. Whats the worst that can happen…..I play six games of warhammer, I lose them all, I gain lots of experience, I meet lots of nice people and I’ll have lots of fun stories. I cant see a downside with my plan.
Back to the army, I had learnt about chaff units, scoring secondaries, anti tank, elites and so much more. Drawing upon my vast years of life I recognise that I tend to favour a ‘'sit back, absorb the punches, brutal counter attack’' in any gaming or sport I’ve played, so decided that was my natural jam and there’s no point trying to switch to honey now. Vanguard Spearhead would be the detachment for me. I considered Anvil Siege force but how often would the heavy rule really come into play? and Vanguard has so many more clever tricky stratagems for me to use to my advantage. 10th Edition seems to be more about mobility and flexibility and you don’t often get to just plonk your units into firing lines and blast away all game. I wanted units for scoring secondaries and early primary and also plenty of anti tank, as it seemed people were taking a lots of tanks, greater daemons and Knights seemed very popular at tournaments.
I also wanted units which synergised well together and could work in tandem to bring down opponents squads and hold objectives. Another thing I picked up is how players would pick an enemy unit and use 2 of theirs to totally delete the enemy in one round and not get bogged down and tied up.
Tentatively, my list came together. My hope was that it was balanced enough, whilst still being fun and with interesting units. I sat back and admired what I had put together. I was feeling pretty pleased with myself. And then...
Balance Dataslate.
Wait….what. A Balance Dataslate update? WTF! So what I thought was my cunningly planned list - spot on 2000 points - was now more like 2030 points. Baaah. More tinkering. More simulation. I was starting to feel like a poor mans version of Rain Man at this point. My head kept cycling scenarios and data in endless loops like some kind of mechanicus cogitator. “Predator tank has 2 las hitting on 3’s, wounding on 3’s against T11 but +1 if Oath that’s a 34.5% probability that you will…”
Aaaaaarrrgghhhhh!!
Well this wasn’t part of the plan!
After some deep breaths, and several cups of tea. I made the adjustments I needed, and I got there. After another cup of tea, I took the plunge and I clicked send on the army list. Steve the Tech Priest would now go and get my units together, and I would start to see the Minotaurs coming to life. No Going back now!
I think they may end up being called The Argonauts, I had thought Conan and the Sumerians (you youngsters will have to google) but that sounds a little like an alternative rock band. With only six months until the LGT, time would tell if my late brother was right when he said I was good at strategy games, or they were just kind words of one brother to another.
Read future blogs, or join me on discord to see how the list eventually looked.
Join the Discord Here