Upcoming North Carolina Tournaments





Monday, January 31, 2011

Brohammer Episode Four is up!



 Brohammer Episode Four is live and available for download!  Go check it out!


_________________________________________________________________________

This episode is special! We welcome our good friend and hobbyist extraordinaire, Canada's own, Andrew Webber on to the show!

We start off talking about what is on the plate for the evening in the liquid refreshments department and move right into a new **Warhammer's Real Men of Genius** at 6:02 min mark
We talk about our week in warhammer and then Andrew gives us some insight into the world of online WFB campaigns.

Our feature segment this ep is Tom giving us a complete tournament coverage of the WaaaghPaca IndyGT up in WI. That starts at the 36:35 mark

Enjoy!!

http://www.cyberears.com/podcasts/podcast_5800.xml
or itunes search for "Brohammer"

-Erik

Friday, January 28, 2011

1,000 Point Mini GT


I'm headed to an innovative 40K tournament tomorrow:  a one day, five-round, miniature GT at Sci Fi Genre, conceived and run by one of our most active local players, Bart.  Rather than the typical 1500 point, three game tournament, these games will be only 1,000 points, and played on a 4x4 board. 

I was going to take some crazy stuff, but there are bonuses for being all painted, so I went with:

Lysander
10 Man Tactical Squad with Heavy Bolter, Flamer
5 Man Tactical Squad
5 Man Terminator Assault Squad (3 Lightning Claws, 2 Thunder Hammer / Storm Shields)
1 Land Raider
2 Rhinos

We'll see how it goes!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Lilith Hesperax, WFB Dark Elf Hag


There are some models in the Dark Eldar range that just cry out to be Dark Elves.  I very much wanted the Wyches to fall into that category, because dynamic plastic models would have been awesome for our Witches, but I think they'd take a good bit of work to convert over.  However, I really like the Lilith Hesperax model, as well as the new Archons.  I picked up one of each.  I'm also considering getting some Incubi to sit in with my Executioners, because they look like a good time to paint. 

Lilith was a lot of fun to paint, and I even got to add in a torn turquoise banner for her to stand on.  Shades of High Elves to come? 

Friday, January 21, 2011

Brawler Bash IV

Hi all!  Just wanted to repost Brohammer's announcement of Brawler Bash IV, a fantastic WFB GT in Raleigh, NC this March.  Details below!

Brawler Bash IV!!!

The Oak City Brawlers are excited to bring you the Brawler Bash, a Warhammer Fantasy Battle Indy Grand Tournament.  Now in its fourth year!
Five games over two days with 2,500 point armies.
This event will be held in Raleigh, NC on Saturday April 9th and Sunday April 10th 2011 in conjunction with the Triangle Simulation Society's Spring Fever miniatures convention. 

Here is the link to the convention- You can also pre-pay (and save $5!) for the event using Paypal on this page [Spring Fever drop down tab at top, select “Spring Fever pre-registration”].  Spring Fever link:
http://www.trianglesimsociety.org/?page_id=27

Use this link to register (or use the Spring Fever drop down tab at top, select “Brawler bash Registration”) and upload your army list. http://www.trianglesimsociety.org/?page_id=141
**At the time of writing this, some information (like dates) on the website is in the process of being updated.

We also have a Brawler Bash Forum: http://brawlerbash.proboards.com/
Sign up today for all of the latest information and discussion! The most up to date rules pack is also available on the forums.

Brohammer Podcast is the official WFB podcast of the Brawler Bash!
http://brohammercast.blogspot.com/
Listen in to get the latest scoop on the competition and how the tournament field is shaping up.  Your fast lane to the inside track on everything from prize support to comp discussions.  Get to know the T.O (me)before you attend the tournament :>  Also, tune in for in-depth coverage of the event featuring player interviews before, during and after!

Number of Players: There will be a maximum of 50 players in this tournament so register early!  Only a paid registration will hold your spot.

Cost: Price has come DOWN this year! $20 + cost of entry to Spring Fever ($20). $40 Total.  To get this price you must pay by March 26th 2011.   You can pay by Paypal on the website or by check.  Checks should be made out to: Ron Oldham (Send via snail mail: Ron Oldham 1017 Wetterhorn Way Wendell, NC 27591)  Paying at the door will be possible, but it will be $45 and your spot will not be reserved so it is first come first served.

Age Requirements: You must be at least 16 years old to participate.  Younger than that will be decided on a case by case basis.

Prizes: There are four main prize categories: Bash Grandmaster (Overall), Bash Crasher (Best Sports), Bash Brush (Appearance), and Bash Battlemaster.  All of these will get to take home the coveted Brawler Bash trophy swords, each engraved with the appropriate category!  We are going to a different format for main "swag" give away this year.  In the past we have had a large random raffle at the end of the Bash.  This usually meant that almost every player took something home.  We are continuing that tradition but giving away ALL (other than a few choice items for the Bash Master :P) of the juicy prizes like this.  That means that even the last place player has a chance to win big!  The top players will be playing for the awesome swords and bragging rights, everyone will have a chance to snag some loot!

*NEW* for 2011- Terrain Table Contest: This year the Brawler Bash is hosting a Terrain Table Contest.  Entries can be individual or clubs/groups.  Bring your best terrain and make a table!  The table will be used for the tournament.  The staff will pick one entry to be the winner on Saturday night.  In addition to a prize, the winner will have his/her choice of playing on that table once on Sunday(If a group wins, then they get to choose which player will get the honor).  EVERY participant that enters will get full points on the "Army Theme and Cohesiveness" category of the paint scoring checklist.**Groups/clubs will have to choose up to 2 persons to gets this bonus ( in other words, everyone in a 10 man club doesn't get the bonus because of one table)
Rules: You may have multiple entries if you wish(we reserve the right to cap that number in order to let everyone who wants to enter participate).  The deadline for letting the TO know that you plan on participating (and how many entries you plan to bring) is March 26th 2011.  If you are entering a table/tables PLEASE be courteous and arrive on Friday evening or early enough on Saturday to set it up.  You should bring a drop cloth or game mat/board if that goes with your entry(We will have extras if needed, but ask ahead of time).  No more than 2 pieces with special terrain rules. Tables should be the standard 6x4.  There should be 5-10 pieces of terrain as per the rule book.  Contact the TO ahead of time to schedule your entry.  We need to know how many are going to participate before Saturday, April 2nd 2011 so we can set up the hall accordingly.  You will get to take your stuff home at the end of the BB of course! :)
**NOTE** These tables will be played on and accidents do happen despite all of our best efforts.  If you have irreplaceable items or items of great value please consider this before you enter them into the contest.  We will take every care with your terrain, but Brawler Bash will not be held responsible for any damage that occurs to terrain through normal game playing. 
This is supposed to be a fun side event and is helpful to us staffers since 8th edition has ramped up the terrain requirements.  We are flexible.  If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask!

Army List Due Date: March 26th, 2011 (Please see the rules packet for allowable armies and email them in either Text, Word, or Excel format to the Tournament Coordinator)
** +2 bonus points added to your sports score by meeting the army list deadline!

I look forward to seeing you there!
-Erik

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

One Year On - Beastmen Army Review, Part Two



Special:

The two choices I do not like in the Special Section are Centigors and Minotaurs. 

Minotaurs are good at hitting things hard.  Unfortunately, they are completely fragile and are expensive as all get out.  Gaining attacks is awesome, but I've found that the rate at which I lose minotaurs is usually far greater than the rate of gaining attacks.  They also can't chase things down effectively due to only pursuing 1d6.  Grade:  C

Centigors are one of my least favorite choices in the book, which is unfortunate, since I love the models.  However, they are very expensive and fragile, as well as being Initiative 2.  This means taking hits and wounds before doing damage in almost every combat.  At their point cost, it's just not affordable or effective.  Grade: D

Harpies I'm ambivalent about.  Sure, they can scout and cause merry hell in the back lines of some armies, but they'll cost you an arm and a leg to do so.  Once again, they're fragile, and heaven forbid you have to ever take a leadership check from shooting, as they will turn tail quickly.  Grade: C

Razorgor Chariots are okay, but if I feel the need for Chariots, I'll look to the regular core version instead.  Razorgor Chariots hit a bit harder, but they cost too much extra for that little bit of extra power and the ability to cause fear.  They were better in seventh, when fear really mattered.  Grade: C+

On the other hand, I really like Razorgors and Bestigors. 

I use Razorgors like High Elf players use Eagles.  I run them singly, and use them to hunt warmachines, make life uncomfortable for mages, and assist in combats to turn them into routs.  They can often "snake the gap" through units to hit artillery pieces.  At 55 points, they're also relatively expendable. and tend to get shot at nicely while the real threats in the army advance unscathed.

I love Bestigors, and they've been in every army I've run in eighth.  I hated them in Seventh Edition, but in Eighth they are better than Minotaurs in every conceivable way.  Let's try an example.  Say I take ~365 points of Minotaurs.  I can have six, with additional hand weapons.  At the same cost, I can have 27 Bestigors with Full Command and a Flame Banner.  Both units hit hard, but are toughness four.  The minotaurs have light armor to the Bestigors heavy armor. Initially, the Minotaurs will generate more attacks.  However, as the units take wounds, the (let's say six wide) unit of Bestigors will continue to generate their (often rerolling to hit) attacks, while the minotaurs will quickly dwindle.  If twelve wounds are taken, you're down to two minotaurs, but still have fifteen Bestigor.  They'll also have ranks and banners much more efficiently.  As I said, I use them in every army.  Grade:  A


Rare: 

There is no hope for anyone in this section.  The three types of Giants and Jabbersclyte are all very cool in concept, but ultimately will die fairly quickly to missile fire or the first decent combat unit they hit.  They just can't take enough hits to be effective.  Grade: D.



To illustrate my thoughts, here's a 2500 point list I run:

Beastlord with Heavy Armor, Shield, Gnarled Hide, Ramhorn Helm, Brass Cleaver, Dawnstone - 239 points.
Great Bray Shaman with Level Four, AHW, Tal. Of Pres., Stone of Spite, Jagged Dagger, Shadow - 309 points.

Wargor BSB with Armour of Destiny, Great Weapon - 143
Gorebull with Heavy Armor, Shield, Dragonhelm, Axes of Khorgor - 222
Level One Shaman with Dispel Scroll, Additional Hand Weapon, Beasts - 102
Level One Shaman with Feedback Scroll, Additional Hand Weapon, Beasts - 127

29 Gors with Full Command, Additional Hand Weapons - 257
29 Gors with Full Command, Additional Hand Weapons - 257
21 Ungors with Standard Bearer - 111

27 Bestigor with Full Command, Flame Banner - 364
26 Bestigor with Full Command, War Banner - 367

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

One Year On - Beastmen Army Review, Part One



I had a friend ask me a while back about what I thought of the Beastmen after having played with the army exclusively for almost a year now.  I was on vacation, and promptly filed the email away, and then forgot it.  I found it again this morning, and wanted to jot down my notes on the army.
Overall, Beastmen are a decent, but not exceptional, army.  They're tough, and reasonably strong, but they can't really shoot or have decent armor.  They're also just a bit overpriced across the board.  I'll try to give my short thoughts on each unit below, and them provide a shorthand letter grade (A being the highest, F being the lowest) for each unit.  This reflects my idea of how good I find them in the Beastman army, not how I find them in relation to other options in other books.  Let's dive into the particulars.

Lords: 

Beastlord - The Beastlord is a 1+ choice for me.  I've never regretted having him in the army, and I've missed him when I didn't take him.  His stats are good, though not monstrous, but what really seals him as a great choice is his leadership of nine.  Beastmen live and die on being able to pass leadership, just like other armies, but it's especially useful to be able to pass your Primal Fury checks.  You are going to be engaging in close combat with this army, and passing those checks every round is key.  Grade:  A.

Great Bray-Shaman - I almost always take the Great Bray.  The +4 to dispel is great, and he can get some of the nastier lores.  He is pricey. Grade:  B+

Doombull - This is the guy who gets left out in most of my lists.  He's a huge killing machine, but he's expensive, and often prevents taking the other two Lords.  He also has lower leadership, and unless you take minotaurs to protect him will get sniped out of units.  Grade:  B

Heroes: 

BSB - Absolutely must have.  This is true of all armies, but even more so of Beasts, since he allows us to reroll Primal Fury as well. Grade:  A++

Shaman - Very good. I take two, and am considering a list with three level two shamans, a Beastlord and a Doombull.  I like to use Wyssan's Wildform with these guys.  Grade:  A

Gorebull - I try to fit one in to my lists, for the same killing power inherent in the Doombull.  He's good, but not necessary.  Grade: B

Core:

Gors - I really like Gors with additional hand weapons.  They're tough, and they've got a lot of attacks.  At strength three, they're not doing a ton, but if you can get one (or two) Wyssan's Wildform off on them, they'll go nuts, especially with reroll to hit.  Grade:  B+

Ungors - I usually run a block of 25-30 Ungors, and they've won me quite a few games.  While I don't like them as the "backbone" of the army due to their fragile nature and cost, I think that opponents often underestimate them.  I usually head up a flank with them, and assist in other combats or take out weak units.  Grade:  B

Warhounds - I haven't run these in Eighth Edition.  I can see some benefits in clogging up lines, but I don't like them enough to bring them out yet.  Grade: C

Chariots - I believe that chariots can be very effective in small doses, but I wouldn't build my army around them anymore.  Sure, they're a good price and hit reasonably well, but I like to have a good mix of backbone (read as Gor) in my army. Grade: B

I'll have the rest of the book, and a sample list, up tomorrow.  Cheers!

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

New Years Resolutions



I've been thinking about wargaming resolutions, and have been considering what I'd like to accomplish in 2011, based on 2010. 

In 2010, I:

*  Ran the Grail Quest WFB tournament, which attracted over thirty participants.

*  Finished painting my Dark Elf, Imperial Fist, Trollblood, and Khador armies.

*  Assembled my Beastmen army.

*  Sold my Khador over Ebay.

*  Participated in Brawler Bash, my first WFB GT.

*  Won tournaments in WFB and placed in the top three in 40k Tournaments. 


Looking over those doings, in 2011 I'd like to:

*  Run Grail Quest successfully again this year.  I'm a bit more nervous about the local WFB scene, but am hoping for a great turnout. 

*  Finish painting my Beastmen and begin work on assembling and painting a new WFB army.

*  Continue painting my Blood Angels for 40K.

*  Learn to play Warmachine, and work up a good Cryx army.  Warmachine and Hordes seem to be all the rage around here, so with the tide I go. 

* Participate in Brawler Bash again, as it was a great time last year. 

*  Take part in a gaming related event once per month.

Those seem like decent resolutions, and I think they're manageable.  Wish me luck!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Grail Quest 3: The Grailening!



There can be only one!

Grail Quest 3 is coming to Durham next month! Don't miss out on North Carolina's hottest Highlander themed Warhammer Fantasy Tournament this year (or probably ever)!

Date: February 12th, 2011

Time: GQ will begin at 10:00 a.m.
Rounds will be 2.5 hours, with a one hour break after the first round for lunch.

Location: Sci Fi Genre
3215 Old Chapel Hill Road
Durham, NC 27707
(919) 490-7900
store@scifigenre.com

General Information

Grail Quest 2011 will take place on February 12th, 2011 at Sci Fi Genre in Durham, NC. Start time for Round 1 will be 10 a.m. The address is 3215 Old Chapel Hill Rd. Durham, NC 27707, and the store phone number is (919) 490-7900. This will be a 2,500 point tournament. There will be three rounds, each lasting 2.5 hours, with a 1 hour break for shenanigans and/or food after the second round. Round scenarios will be themed to the tournament, but not extremely unusual. Entry fee is ten dollars.

Fabulous Prizes!

Prizes will be awarded for Best Overall, 2nd, and 3rd Place, Best Painted Army, and Best Sportsman. I am beginning by contributing fifty dollars to the prize pool, and then adding in the entry fees.

So for all you warlords, knights, goblins, damsels, and even smelly peasants out there, prepare for a full day of fun and heroics***. There may even be some cake.


*** With dice.

Registration

It is not necessary to preregister for Grail Quest. If you would like to reserve a spot for the tournament, please email us at grailquestregister@gmail.com, or reply to this thread on the Sci Fi Genre forums.  http://z6.invisionfree.com/Scifi_Genre_Forums/index.php?showtopic=6064

Monday, January 3, 2011

Brohammer Episode Three!

Even though I went on vacation, those hard-working hosts at Brohammer are still cranking out the hits!  For those who haven't yet heard, get ye to the Brohammer!  Download and listen below!




Direct download site:  http://www.cyberears.com/podcasts/podcast_5800.xml

**Note: Due to a technical issue I didn't catch early enough, the audio quality suffers (most specifically Tom's volume level).  It is still good, but if this is your first show, know that it is usually better :>

Brohammer presents "Warhammer's, Real Men of Genius" Monster double length holiday special episode.  :)

We start this episode off with some chat about what kind of beer we are drinking (Kevin's homebrew for us-Tom's got an import) and move right into what we have been doing in the hobby since last we met.

WARHAMMER"S REAL MEN of GENIUS! At the 20:37 mark we introduce our new signature digital short.  This will be a continuing spot with related contests in the future and a new "salute" every episode!

After the break we come back with coverage of Tom's recent 3 game local tourney up in IL.  Then I discuss the NC Masters tourney and the results.
A short rules section takes us out.

Happy Holidays!
-Erik