Tau, eh? Brave!

So, I feel the need to commend my brave companion, Pedro, for his choice in army for the NoVA Open.

He brought Tau.  Brave.

We knew it was a 4th Edition Codex army.  But, in fact, neither Pedro nor I had any concept of why the Greater Good was such a brave choice to bring to a tournament.  Brave, brave, brave.  That's what random people kept on coming up to tell him.

And then one kind soul actually took the time to instruct Pedro in how exactly he could increase his battlefield efficiency.  Markerlights, my friends.  Pedro got a crash course in how to use the Tau Markerlights.  And then for three straight games, the Blood Angels under my command had no chance.

The other phrase that sagacious NoVA participants kept throwing at us was "Target Priority."  At first we thought that they might be making fun of us.  You know, dragging up some obsolete 4th Edition rule and holding it over us noobs.  That actually wasn't the case, and the commenting wargamers were not actually condescending to us neophytes.  "It's all about target priority" actually means, "Actively pursue the part of your adversary's army that will have the most significant game effect for the least expenditure of your own resources."

The analysis of target priority is a complex interaction of specific army rules, 40k general rules, winning conditions, strategy, and player ability. For me in the NoVA games that meant going after Pedro's Pathfinders with my Jump Infantry.

So, based on his player base, it appears that Tau was a perfectly reasonable choice for Pedro, and by the end of six games, both Pedro and I realized that it really might actually be about prioritizing your targets after all.

We both learned a lot from the NovA.  Thanks again, Mike Brandt and the NoVA Staff!



"Look, there's a brave Blood Angels player that doesn't understand target priority!"

1500 - 2000 NoVA Open Blood Angels List!

My scalable BA list from NoVA Open!  


(Subtract Astorath and the Death Company to reach 1500 points.)


I call it multi-layer deep striking!

2000pt Blood Angels 5th Edition Roster (Standard)

Selections:

HQ

• Astorath the Grim
• Librarian
  Fear of the Darkness, Terminator Armour, Unleash Rage

Elites

• Sanguinary Priests
  • Sanguinary Priest
    • Power Armour
      Bolt Pistol, Chainsword
  • Sanguinary Priest
    Terminator Armour
  • Sanguinary Priest
    • Power Armour
      Bolt Pistol, Chainsword, Jump Pack, Melta Bombs
• Terminator Squad
  2x Chainfist, Cyclone Missile Launcher, Cyclone Missile Launcher, Sergeant, 9x Terminators

Troops

• Assault Squad
  9x Assault Marines, Infernus Pistol, Infernus Pistol, Retain Jump Packs
  • Veteran Sergeant
    Bolt Pistol, Power Fist
• Death Company
  5x Bolt Pistol, 4x Chainsword, Infernus Pistol, Power Fist, Thunder Hammer
  • 6x Death Company Marine
    6x Jump Pack
• Scout Squad
  4x Combat Blade, 4x Scouts
  • Veteran Sergeant
    Bolt Pistol, Locator Beacon, Power Fist
• Scout Squad
  Missile Launcher, 3x Sniper Rifle
  • 4x Scouts
    4x Camo Cloaks
  • Veteran Sergeant
    Bolt Pistol, Camo Cloak, Sniper Rifle

Heavy Support

• Devestator Squad
  4x Devestator Marine, 4x Plasma Cannon
  • Drop Pod
    Locator Beacon, Storm Bolter
  • Veteran Sergeant
    Bolt Pistol, Power Fist             

NoVA Open Excitement

I have my ticket and am preparing my (open gaming) lists for the NoVA Open.

I am going to be bringing my terminator-heavy Blood Angels, and my Black Reach Orks.

I actually just hope to get in a few good games.  Originally, I had hoped to be able to play a full NoVA 2,000 points, but it looks more like 1,500 is going to be the points level that my friends want to play.  Happy to accommodate!

If I am reading the warp correctly, there should be open gaming tables in various forms from about 5:30 PM on Thursday, 25 August.  Then after 10 PM on Friday.  After that, it's pretty much GT straight through 'til Sunday.  But maybe there will be an odd table or two to snag for a game.  Maybe.

Per the NO website, the current list of sponsors/vendors is: Battle Foam, Back-2-Base IX, Games Workshop, The Black Library, The WarStore, SpikeyBits, Portable Warfare, Bitz Box, Privateer Press, Wyrd Miniatures, Amazing Magnets, War Cast Studios, and more.

As this is my first time attending anything like this, I am very curious as to what is in the Stuff We All Get (S.W.A.G.) Bag.  Also happy to see Battlefoam and Portable Warfare on the list above.

If you see the guy with the poorly painted Golden Blood Angels Terminators, you'll know it's me!





P.S.  I was very shocked to read the below in the NoVA Open PDF newsletter.  Score a point for brutal honesty:

"A common misnomer (or not) about tabletop wargamers is that they forget to shower and develop an atmosphere similar to that caricatured by Pig-Pen in the Peanuts cartoons. Obviously, from a NOVA Open point of view, should a player cause another player to reel backwards from the game seeking clean-fresh air, a certain level of “respect” will have been violated!   Please keep the showers regular and the deodorant handy."

Getting ready for NoVA!