The WPS Club challenge 2012, Tournament report Part 1

Well, I wish I'd had more time to put into this blog before this post. If you've been following me over my last few posts, you'd know I've been working on a Trollblood army for the WPS club challenge tournament at the end of May.  I'd hoped to have blogged about me painting the whole army before the event, so I could've put this report at the end of a series of modelling and painting articles about the trolls, but as toward the end of the project I realised I had time against me. The blog had to take a back seat to my painting, otherwise I'd have never finished the army.

So, the army did indeed get finished, and there will be some full army shots later in this post to prove it. But by now, the dust has settled from the event, blood split and prizes claimed. So how did it go? 

Venue: Maelstrom Games, Mansfield UK. 

The weekend took place at Maelstrom game's eye of the storm gaming hall, a venue I'd never been to before. The place is a bit a Wargamers haven in the UK really. Many tournaments are held there, gamers travel from all over the place to play there, and with good reason. 

The place is built around an old barn/farm complex, from what I could tell. The Ground floor holds Maelstrom's shop, and a bar area. The upstairs Houses 2 separate gaming halls, with enough tables to have at least 100 players at once.  The weekend of the club challenge was the hottest of the year so far, and all windows and doors were thrown open to generate some cool breezes for us all.

The staff are all friendly, and organisation was superb throughout the whole weekend. Food was laid on for lunch on both days, and players could have bought a meal ticket for the evening, but we didn't go with this option. 

In short, its very much worth a trip for an event if you get the chance. 

The view down the larger hall with round 4 in full swing on the Sunday. 

Army lists

After 10 weeks of playing trolls, these are my 2 steamroller lists.

Army list One.

Jarl Skuld, Devil of the Thornwood. +6

Dire Troll Bomber. 10
Troll Impaler. 5
Troll Bouncer. 5

10 Trollkin fennblades. 8
Fennblade officer and drummer. 2

5 Trollkin Champions. 10
Skaldi Bonehammer. 3

Trollkin Champion Hero. 3 

Swamp Gobber bellows crew. 1

Trollkin Warwagon. 9

56

Reinforcements.

Dire Troll Mauler. 9

Army List 2.

Madrak Ironhide, Thronwood Chieftain. +6
Runebearer. 2

Dire Troll Mauler. 9
Troll Bouncer. 5
Troll Axer. 5 

6 Krielstone bearer and stonescribes. 4
stone scribe Elder. 1

5 Trollkin Champions. 10
Trollkins Champion Hero. 3

Fell Caller Hero. 3
Janissa stonetide. 3 

10 Trollkin Fennblades. 8
Fennblade Officer and drummer. 2

56.

Reinforcements.

Dire Troll Bomber. 10 

Game 1: Circle, Richie Paget.

Going into this tournament, I knew I had one major weakness, The Circle Orboros. They're the only faction I've never played against in the mark 2 rules, and I thought if I run into them, I'd be toast by turn 3. After checking my round 1 match up, I wasn't at all surprised to find I was to play against them. Not only them, but well known Dragon Slayer, Richie Paget. Of my two lists, I choose to play Jarl over Madrak. Seeing Richie's lists, he didn't have many infantry models to maul through with Madrak's feat, so I thought a long range assassination might come from an unexpected quarter.

I've never played such a good opening game, it was without doubt the highlight of the weekend. Jarl and Kromac danced around the best we could throw at each other until both our armies were all but spent. The clinching turn saw jarl, with an impaler and bouncer left, staring down ghetorix's maw trying to snatch a victory. The Impler managed a jammy double 6 critical slam against DEF 19 Kromac, knocking him down and leaving him on 4 health. Jarl bolted from combat with Ghetorix to take the kill shot, but found his pistols unable to cause enough damage that the stricken circle caster couldn't simply transfer away. This left the highwayman exposed to Ghetorix, however, who promptly caught hold of the good jarl and bit his head off. Ouch. 

Richie is a top bloke though, He certainly got my sportsmanship vote, and quite rightly when home with the trophy for being such a nice chap. 

 

The Trolls line up for the best painted judging. 

Game 2: Cryx, Matt Ames.

My next game brought a hard lesson. Seeing Matt's 2 lists being full of warrior models, I thought Madrak would be a solid choice. So, turn 1 I power up the madrak brick and wade out into the middle of the field. 

Turn 2, and eDeny Runs in the the middle of the field, Arcs a hell mouth and swallows all my fennblades on the objective, pops his feat and claims a control point. this left me with an immobile brick, of trolls with 1 ranged weapon to clear a whole 8" Diameter circle of undead and 1 turn to do it. Ah. 

I wasn't completely out of options though. Madrak, whilst tapped in him own brick hadn't been caught with the feat. He could still move. I had to beat a couple of my own champion's head's in, but manged to get him a charge lane to a nyss hunter and his mates. I powered him up and let him loose with his feat. He go as far as 3 nyss and 2 bane thralls, and I realised my next strike with out of my 2" reach. The big guy floundered, and ended up sat, helpless in front of nightmare, who looked a little bit offended. Need I say more?   

Game 3:  Skorne, Nicholas Moore.

First off, Nicholas Moore is a bloody loony. In the best way possible, mind. A highly entertaining game. By this point on day 1, the heat had melted every nerd brain in the place, and no one could think anymore. Much like just in the wilds, Madrak's over heated troll brain lines up against the Skorne in the bloodstone marches. Nicholas sent Molik Karn belting up the centre to try and mash up my champions and generally cause mayhem. one the right, my fennblades came to a stalemate with a unit of nihilators. It looked square across the board. I couldn't find a way to clear a path for madrak to assassinate with karn in the way. I couldn't take much more of his punishment. The only option I could see involved madrak doing the job himself, which would leave him open. Powered up with a dire troll's animus, madrak charges the heavy and promptly cut him in half with Rothrak. Janassia stone tide advanced up behind close the gap and keep the big man safe. In the final turn, madrak cleaved his way though the back lines of pain givers and support to cut makeda down for good and secure my first win of the day.

The end of the day sees me 2 loses for 1 win. Not great, but I'd had a great time and met some top gamers.  

 So here ends part one. What will happen on day two? Tune in tomorrow to find out!