Conquest Spring Event - Gamerz Nexus, Rayleigh

So Saturday Gamerz Nexus had their spring event for Conquest and Star Wars LCG.  Deciding that a day of two games I really like vs one evening of a game I am middling on nowadays (X-wing) I took the long train journey down there.
Was only 4 for Star Wars.  So we did round robin.  I did ok.  Lost first match.  Split second (dark side wins both) and won third.  lessons to be learnt.  I'm not very good at star wars. Probably has something to do with only played maybe 10 games this year?  Once again, St Neots is utter shit for gaming (unless you are a Magic drone)

But anyway Conquest I have much more experience with.  There were 8 attendees for this one.

I took Cato Sicarius.  I do love Cato in this game.  Space Marines just have everything in a neat and tidy box of win.

Cato Cato Sicarius
Sicarius's Chosen x4
Tactical Squad Cardinis x3
10th Company Scout x2
Blood Angel Veterans x3
Honored Librarian x3
White Scars Bikers x3
Veteran Brother Maxos x2
Eager Recruit x3
Land Raider x2
Vash'ya Trailblazer x3
Rogue Trader x2
Void Pirate x2

Cato's Stronghold x1
Holy Sepulchre x2

The Fury of Sicarius x2
Drop Pod Assault x3
Indominatable x3
Exterminatus x1
Crushing Blow x2

Tallassarian Tempest Blade x1
Iron Halo x 2
Godwyn Pattern Bolter x1

Game 1 was VS Gary and Colonel Stracken.
Gary I think was relatively inexperienced.  I somewhat dominated.  I was able to just flood the board with dudes, and keep his board very very clear.  I don't think I ever sent my warlord to planet one, except turn 4.  Game was over by turn 4 as that was the earliest the planets aligned.  Win here.  Gary is pretty good at all the other games I've played against him, hope he sticks with this one.  Win

Game 2 was vs Barry and Captain Cato
So a Mirror Match.  Planet flop saw all 3 with Red Icons, so was going to be short.  I had initiative, so just fought where I had that.   Good job I won on planet 5 though, I was running out of cards and command presence going on onward.  Think I saw all 3 drop pod assaults, and they netted me the likes of white scars bikers and honored librarians every time. One fun event was me using the chosen on earth caste technician. Moving them to a planet with a technician already.  He saved the tech with shields, I sent my warlord there and got two essentially free resources for my efforts.

Game 3 was vs Zarathur (I didn't get the guys name, sorry)
This hurt, a lot.  As the way of with Zaruthur.  The long and short of it, went for Red as 4 of the 5 were Red icons.  The very last fight was humorous.  Lots of stuff turned up.  A Gleeful Plague Beast and a Warpstorm made sure it wasn't there anymore.  So then it came down to Cato (1 hp left) vs Zarathur (1 hp left) a Gleeful Plague Beast (2 hp left) and a Flesh Hound (2 hp left).  Drop Pod netted me an Honored Librarian.  He had no more burn so I won the planet on initiative. Cato Bloodied Zarathur, The Flesh Hounds bloodied Cato, Honored librarian killed the Plague beast and next round I struck first for the win on planets.

So loot for me.

Playmat (now with GW disclaimer text!!  FU GW) Cybork Body deck box,
Coliseum Fighters Promo and Eldorath Starbane Promo.  Note the bloodied side of Eldorath is the photo.  Thats the side everyone likes to see in game right?

Warhammer 40,000 Conquest Card review type thing, Part 7

The boys in blue, the Tau

Jet packing right into

Warlord

Commander Shadowsun
Commander Shadowsun brings a very important ability the tau, recursion.  Getting your attachments out of discard is supremely good.  Fairly easy to keep Hale aswell, since there's no need to keep her in the battle after she commits. 5/5

Shadowsuns Stealth Cadre
Very mediocre. Nice that they can attach to units though.  More importantly they can be bought back into play with Shadowsun.  And that saves them.  4/5

Communications Relay
Saves a guy whos been buffed the gills with attachments. As with all the warlord supports, very nice to see...if you ever see it.  5/5

Squadron Redployment
Can move a unit, which is always good.  Exhausts it though, which makes it so very very weak  It can however move your opponents army units, if they have attachments which is a nifty usage. 2/5

Command Link Drone.
If you're loaded with resources, this could give your army +1atk for a battle.  In real terms better of using it as 3shields.  One of the few wargear cards that can actually go on the warlord.  But Shadowsun isn't really any good in a battle. 1/5

Loyal

Recon Drone
It's free!  And actually good.  2 command icons for nothing is deal of the century.  Limited for good reason 5/5

Crisis Battle Guard
The elite of the Tau, so lets see what you get.  For 5 resources, 3/5/3 and mobile.  Not a stellar unit by any means, but good enough to pack a mean punch.  Mobile is always welcome. 4/5

Gun Drones
What gets me about drones in the game, is they cannot go on vehicles.  Tau vehicles almost all have drones.  But anyway.  2/2/1 for 2.  or the much better effect of paying 2 and attaching them to unit for AoE2.  Give them a to a ranged unit for maximum lols. 4/5

Fireblade Kais'vre
Whenever use a tau card for shields at his planet, he adds a shield icon to that card.  Meh 2/5

Deception
Return a unit to it;s owners hand.  Only during the deploy step though, and it can't be elite.  Not eally worth a card slot, but never underestimate shenanigans.  2/5

Repulsor Impact Field
When attached unit takes damage, do 2 back.   Obvious synergy with fire warrior elites. 3/5

And the Rest

Vior'la Marksman
The basic tau troop has 1/2/1 stats and ranged.  Capable little guy. 4/5

Vash'ya Trailblazer
1/1/2 with mobile.  Could well be THE best unit for command struggles.   So hard to lock down and kill 5/5

Carnivore Pack
It's a 3/3 for 3 or effectively 0 since you get those 3 resources back when he dies.  And yet I just don't like them for some reason.  And I have no idea what that reason is.  I feel I should like them so here they get a 4/5

Fire Warrior Elite
Have 5 hp and can redirect attacks against friends to themselves.  Quite nice with the impact field.  3/5

Earth Caste Technician
Let you search the top 6 cards of your deck for an attachment or drone when he enters play.  Whenever I've played one of these guys, it has totally whiffed on finding a card.  C'est la vie.  3/5


Stingwing Swarm
3/3/1 and ranged.  for 4.  Ranged is very good in this game.  4/5

Experimental Devilfish
Don't know what makes it experimental.  But anyway it has 4atk.  All you need to know.  on a 2hp body though.  I have never ever used it's reaction of readying it when it commits. 3/5

Even the odds
Move an attachment from one unit to another controlled by the same player.  So very very situational.  2/5

Calculated Strike
Destroy a limited card.  From top of head this is whats limited.  Recon Drone, Promethium Mine, all of the racial discount supports.  So as you can see, very limited use.  Will get better as more Limited cards enter the game.  but for know..pass.  2/5

Ion Rifle
Gives a unit +3atk.  Win 5/5

Frontline Launch Bay
3/5

Ambush Platform
Makes all your attachments 1 recource cheaper.  It's real value is that you can exhaust the support to play an attachment during combat.  For that it's a must include. 5/5

Tau have a focus on attachments and have by far the best command struggle game, and the best ranged combat units.  Making them a very surgical strike army.  Fitting for their background.  Make good allies for space marines shoring up their weaknesses with early game command units.

Warhammer 40,000 Conquest Card review type thing, Part 6

Dark Eldar

I still have no idea about them, and not played any games for several weeks.  So here goes a completely nonsense post.

Warlord

Packmaster Kith
She is pretty strong.  2 atk and free Khymera's wherever she commits.   Khymera's have 2 atk and so are enough of a threat to be worried about.  Her entire signature squad is about Khymeras so a guaranteed one every turn is nothing to be scoffed at.

Kith's Packmasters
Of all the signature squad units, this is probably the worst. 1/2/1 for 2 is middling.  You do a get a Khymera though.  So good value, but not much cop once it's actually in play.  2/5

Khymera Den
Move all your Khymera's to a target planet.  Move them away from any nasty aoe, move them to an exhausted warlords battle and flat out kill him, it's all good. 5/5

Pact of the Haemonculi
Sacrifice a unit to discard a card at random from your opponents hand and draw 2 cards.  If there was a more solid source of Khymera's this would be ungodly.  As it is, just a nice thing to see in game, but not going to miss it if I never see it.  3/5

Agonizer of Breen
+1atk for each Khymera you control.  Could be good if you can keep Khymera's around.  Would be so much better if Kith could have it. 4/5

Loyal Units

Black Heart Ravager
The biggest Dark Eldar unit has a cost of 6, flies 2 hammers 2 attack and 5 hp.  And the amazing reaction of routing whoever it damages.  Not quite as amazing as the dire avengers Exhaust reaction, since the routed unit will just come back later.  But wins battles, and that's why you are here right? 5/5

Murder of Razorwings
1 cost to make your opponent discard a card.  You get a 1/1 unit to go with it. Would be amazing if it had a single command icon.

Syren Zythlex
My god she is annoying.  Whenever an enemy is deployed at her location, it becomes exhausted.  If a planet ever becomes hotly contested she will win that planet for you. 4/5

Raid
Steal an opponents resource.  only 1 though, and only if they have more than you.  Far too limited in use. it also itself is limited.  So only one per turn.

Suffering
Give an army unit -2atk.  Can neuter some things nicely.  Everything is less scary with less atk. 4/5

Twisted Laboratory.
Take away someones text box for a phase.  oh how I love this support.   Can take away annoying things like ranged, annoying reactions (hello dire avengers).  Can ever render the almighty survivalists impotent.  Sadly doesn't stop mobile since there is no action window to do so before they have moved. 5/5

And the rest

Sybarite Marksman
2/1 ranged is nice, especially for 1 resource.  No hammers makes me cry. 4/5

Incubus Warrior
3/1/2.  fragile but meaty in every other stat. Worthwhile for 2.  Don't expect to get much out of them though. 3/5

Haemonculus Tormentor
2/4/1 for 4.  Can pay 1 to give him +2atk until end of phase.  And as many times as you like.  DE won't tend to have many extra resources.  But can assassinate a warlord with this guy. 4/5

Helion Gang
2/2/1 with flying for 2 is a stellar deal.  Effectively 2/4/1 for all intents and purposes. 4/5

Beasthunter Wyches
I like.  1/3/2 for 2.  Every time you play a DE event you can pay 1 to get a Khymera at HQ.  Would be better if it was either free, or the Kymera appeared at a planet.  4/5

Baleful Mandrake
3/2/1 with Ranged.  3 Ranged atk is very good, very very good in fact. 5/5

Vile raider
2 hammers and mobile.  That's Awesome.  Fills the same role as the Eldar Soaring Falcon.  Trading 1 hp for 1 atk. 5/5

Coliseum Fighters.
Get a mediocre unit for 2, but also recycles an event.  It's the topmost in your discard rather than your choice.  But more events are good. 4/5

Kabalite Strike Force
No hammer, still crying.  2/2 with AoE 1 is not all that great.  Though having AoE is always useful to have in some cases. 2/5

Power from Pain

At first glance this seems amazing.  Make your opponent sacrifice a unit.  BUT. Only during combat.  and the opponent gets to choose from any unit in play so may not even affect the battle being fought when it's played. 2/5

Archons Terror
Rout a non unique.  Oh my.  Oh my oh my. 5/5

Hypex Injector
Ready attached unit after play a DE event.  Having this in play almost makes Power from Pain worth taking. Could lead to some amazing plays. 3/5

Altar of Torment
3/5

The DE shtick seems to be discard, and swarm with some Ranged and Mobility control. They seem to have so many cards that are just shy of being amazing, almost as if they were very good if not broken before in play testing and heavily nerfed for release..  But tournaments seem to regularly see DE in the top tier.  So there must be something to them.  I'm just not seeing it.  Either Ally available to them seems strong.  Chaos bring some heavy hitters, Eldar emphasise control and command.

Warhammer 40,000 Conquest Card review type thing, Part 5

Well really part 6.  but I have no idea about Dark Eldar so will come back them after more games  so it's Eldar time
And I haven't played conquest for 2 weeks so take this with a grain of salt.

Eldorath Starbane
Quintessential Eldar unit, being as he is annoying as hell.  He exhausts a unit when goes to a planet. One of those nifty abilities that means you don't have to stick around for any benefit either, so his risk of being bloodied are quite low.

Starbane's Council
3/3/1 for 1 is nifty, and if they attack an exhausted unit they get +2 ATK.  Every time I've played, these guys get punched in the face so much, and with good reason.  5ATK is a lot.  5/5

Alaitoc Shrine
Ready a unit after it moves to a planet.  Obviously the drawback of arriving exhausted from HQ is a major drag.  But readying your most dangerous unit = bad times for your opponent.  It's very good, but i;m not majorly disappointed if I never see it in a game.  3/5

Foresight
The uses for this are so very numerous.  Enemy warlord has 1hp and is trying to run away?  Hunt him down!!  Teleported your warlord to the wrong planet and facing certain death?  Run away!  Just want to be really annoying?  Exhaust two of their units!!  5/5

Mobility
Mobility is a nifty ability.  And sure giving a survivalist mobility will give you opponent headaches.  It has 3 shields though, and I think they are a much better use of the card. 2/5

Overall, Eldoraths signature squad is pretty middling.  He is amazing though, so it really doesn't matter.

Loyal Units.

Biel-Tan Guardians
1/1/2  Amazing value for 1 resource.  3 off in every Eldar Deck tbh 5/5

Wailing Wraithfighter
 6 cost is a hefty tax.  But it flies, and makes your opponent discard a card.   Once the Eldar get more discard elements to form the basis of a deck this will be much more important.  As it is, you get an ok unit with nifty effect. 3/5

Iyanden Wraithguard
4 atk with Armorbane.  That's gonna ruin anyones day.  Kinda amsuing that in 40k, wraithguard are a pain in the neck to kill, and in the card game they fall over in a stiff breeze.  But hey, they WILL take something out before they go.  5/5

Swordwind Farseer
Tutor up a card from the top 6 of your deck.  Not so important for Edlar since they are so good at dominating command struggles for draw anyway.  Sometimes you end up putting all your best cards on the bottom of the deck, and sometimes you get just the thing you needed. 2/5

Spiritseer Erathal
The Eldar unit has the standard 3/3/2 body for 3.  After he attacks he heals someone.  Not as amazing as you may think, but healing is always good.  3/5

Gift of Isha.
After they kill your wraithguard, put them right back into combat.  And laugh manically.  it doesn't have to be wraithguard, but honestly they are the best target for it.  Sadly only gets you the top most unit in your discard.   But they may well be wraithguard most of the time, since they get picked on a lot.  Or Starbanes council, also a good choice.  5/5

Craftworld Gate
Another of those really annoying eldar tricks.  Exhaust this to return an army unit to your hand.  Shenanigans ahoy. If you really need your doom can bounce your farseer to get a second shot at his enters play reaction as well.  4/5

And the rest

Altansar Rangers
Very good unit, 2/2/2 and ranged.  Often seen in tau armies :D 4/5

Eldar Survivalist.
has no attack, but if you win a command struggle at their planet, get a bonus card and a resource.  Huge huge unit.  Put them at planet 5 to keep them safe, although expect a warlod to commit to that planet just to stop you getting the bonus and kill them, they are that good.  5/5

Wildrider Squadron
Have a sort of improved mobility.  Excellent hit and run ability.  5/5

Soaring Falcon
Sort of like an expensive Tau Trailblazer.  But with a crap ton of HP.  (5)  Solid unit.  4/5

Shrouded Harlequin
When they die, they exhaust something,  I'm not a fan of  on death abilities,  not to mention an opponent can just play around it, by killing this unit last.  1/5

Silvered Blade Avengers
1 atk doesn't matter a damn when whatever they attack becomes exhausted anyway.  have fun keeping leman russes, Dreadnaughts, helldrakes or whatever from EVER hitting you.  5/5

Biel-Tan Warp Spiders
After they attack, you can look at the the top two cards of a deck and discard one of them.  99% of the time, you will look at your opponents deck just for the chance to discard something important.  3/5

Superiority
take someones hammer sway from them.  I get that it's a very Eldar thing to do, but Eldar are already pretty good at command struggles, so they are the faction least in need of this card.  2/5

Nullify
40k Counterspell.  You have to exhaust a unique unit to use it though, so could be trap and get your warlord killed before he gets chance to run away after using it.  But obviously this could totally change a game. 5/5

Doom
Takes some setting up, but killing everything at HQ is immensely satisfying. 4/5

Banshee Power Sword
Amusing that there are no Banshees or Autarchs to give it to yet.  But anyway +1 atk, and can get extra attack against non warlords by discarding cards.  If you could snipe warlords with this, it would be amazing.  As it is, it's of extremely limited usage. 2/5


Corsair Trading Post
blah blah blah 3/5

Eldar are tricky faction.  Their play style is basically building up resources, and only going for the planets that matter.  A good Eldar will not get into unfavourable battles.  And if you don't play smart, your warlord will get killed by their substantial firepower.  They are fragile though, kill their command units, keep their numbers low and you can easily come out on top.  My favourite faction at the moment.  They are firmly in the middle of the ranged party of the alliance wheel.  Both DE and Tau can bring Ranged to ally with.  Tau also have the best Command Struggle units.  DE have more tricks to bring the party though.  Pick your allies depending how miserable you want your opponent to be :D