Conquest Store Championships 22/02 @ Dark Sphere

So after finishing a 13 hour Night Shift yesterday morning I decided to go to London for a Conquest Store Championship.  Not going to offer it as an excuse, but I was absolutely shattered.

I took the trusty Space Marines,  was tempted by Dark Eldar since they are so dominant against Space Marines but they can also fall apart quite easily and I was in no position to make good tactical decisions.

Worth noting I had no free time last week, and only picked up Gift of the Ethereals I think Tuesday.  So armed with a can of Relentless I added some new cards on the train journey down there.  Possibly a bad idea there.

My deck List was

Captain Cato Sicarius

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

Cato's Stronghold
Holy Sepulchre

The Fury of Sicarius x2
Drop Pod Assault x3
Indomitable x3
Crushing blow x2
Exterminatus

Tallassarian Tempest Blade
Iron Halo x2
Ion Rifle x2
Godwyn Pattern Bolter

I think this may have been substantially less optimal than what I've ran in the past, but whatever onto how it went,

I believe there was 16 people based on a headcount before we started, maybe 15 participants.

My first match was vs Adam Harvey running Zarathur.
Could of been quite quite close.  There was some misplays on both our parts.  As it turns out I was able to winning 4 of the first 5 planets for the win.  Whilst Zaruthar does bring a lot of pain, I was able to keep enough units around to win planets which is kinda what you need to do.  At one point I had a Land Raider with 1 hp left and a Hale Sicarius with 1 hp left.  He had one last attack to kill one of them before I won that planet.  He chose the Land Raider.  Probably a bad play, the heal a unit planet was available for 3 more turns  so my next play was to go there which netted him his only first planet win of the match.  Win

2nd Game was vs Sam Pigden running Kith.
This was so very bad.  I had a mediocre opening hand.  Which saw me only playing 2 units turn one.  A drop pod assault whiffed and it all went down hill from there.  My last turn before I conceded saw me with a bloodied Sicarius, no units in play and only 2 land raiders and Maxos in hand to work with in front of an army of Mandrakes, Slyth mercs and Khymeras. Loss

3rd game was vs Paul Harlow running Kith
This was a very slight massacre.  I was dominant throughout.  At one point he played 3 Kiths Khymera masters at planet one.  I sent Sicarius there, and lucked into a drop pod assaulted Tactical squad killing the 3 tokens he had got from that turn.  Was harsh.  Win

4th Game was vs Pehjmon, running Eldorath.
I was very lucky this game.  The planet drop was horrendous.  We had 4 0/x planets.  Necessitating a choice between resources and cards.  He was very tricksy, but unanswered indomitables saved my guys from the numerous super attachment buffed units and got me a win.  Funniest play was maybe first turn nobody went to planet one.  So he foresighted his warlord there.  I drop Pod assaulted and got a White Scars Bikers.  Eldorath could not risk staying in front of that much fire power.  Win

So 3 wins, 1 loss put me joint 2nd with 3 others.  Didn't have time for a top cut, so Strength of Schedule saw me with 4th place.  As it turns out, 2 of the other top 5 already had a playmat so would of prob got one even if I had been 5th.  Dark Spheres tournament kit did not include the promo cards. So my loot was the top 4Playmat, top 8 Deckbox and what would of been probably 2 Leman Russ Battle Tanks Promo Cards.  Should get the cards at a later date.

Warhammer 40,000 Conquest Card review type thing, Part 4

Chaos!!  Also worth noting I've added arbitary numbers out of 5 to my Space Marine post.

So the Warlord

Zarathur, High Sorceror
1/6 so not very combaty, but he increases ALL damage to enemies at his planet by 1.  Makes the 1 atk units twice as deadly, makes already deadly units, even deadlier.  Makes Area Effect sick.  Phenomenal effect. 5/5

Zarathurs Flamers
2/2/1 for 2.  Sacrifice them to do 2 damage to an enemy.  With the warlord they can do 3 damage on the attack, then sacrifice themselves for an instant 3 more.  Not many things survive that.  Great inclusion to the signature squad. 4/5

Shrine of Warpflame
After to kill a unit, exhasut this support to return the topmost TZentch Card to your hand.  You know what's better than Zarathurs Flamers?  Doing it all over again. Once again very sad you only get 1 in the deck. 5/5

Infernal Gateway
As a combat action put a unit cost 3 or lower into play from hand.  if it's still there at the end of the phase they get sacrificed.   This was designed for the flamers.  Get them back into play, sac them for more damage.  The synergy in this squad is insane. 4/5

Mark of Chaos
Attached to a unit, when the unit dies it does 1 damage to each anemy at the planet.  This is Area Effect 2 if Zarathur is present.  Good fun on a flamer.  4/5

Loyal Units

Alpha Legion Infiltrator
4atk and a hammer on a 1 hp unit.  Only costs 2 though. I'd play it if was 1 resource...but 1 hp man, 1hp hurts a lot. 2/5

Vicious Bloodletter
4/4/0 for 5..meh so far.  But they have Area Effect 3!!  3 Damage to ALL opposing units at the planet.  4 if with the warlord.  Nuts.  And being a daemon you can get them at a discount with cultists.  5/5

Black Legion Helldrake
The big daddy of conquest.  8/8/3 flying for 8.  Also a daemon.  Demands an answer, simply as.  Very pricey, very effective.  4/5

Xavaes Spilit-Tongue
The Chaos Unique  Gives you a cultist at HQ whenever an enemy unit at his planet dies.  Everyone loves cultists.  5/5

Tzeentch's Firestorm
Pay X to do X damage to non warlord.  Why not?  4/5

And the Rest

Possessed
9/4/1 for 5.  9 atk!!  4hp is a bummer, Supremely good for warlord assassinations.  4/5

Splintered Path Acolyte
1/2/1 for 1 is nice.  Can sacrifice them to reduce a daemons units cost by 2.  So worth it if you have any daemons in your deck..  Which you do. 4/5

Khorne Berzerker.
2/4/1 for 3, with Brutal.  Brutal is nice.  They can peak at 5atk.  Nothing to be sniffed at.  4 hp is just enough HP to be a problem. 5/5

Umbral Preacher
2 hammers and Army units cannot retreat.  Just try to run away from my Bloodletters!!  4/5

Ravenous Flesh Hounds
3/6/1 for 5.  Daemon.  Very meaty, and you can sacrifice cultists to heal them.  Very nice.  Will be amazing when a consistent cultist generator develops.  Can feed him the Cultists Token, the acolyte and the preacher at the moment.  4/5

Virulent Plague Squad
Chaos are such a hodge podge of gods at the monet, for shame  But anyway.  1/4/1 for 4 sucks, but they get +atk for each unit in your opponents discard.  As chaos you will be killing a lot of dudes, could be very good. Possessed do the exact same role though, except they come with the massive attack by default for 1 more resource.  Not seeing it.  3/5

Chaos Fanatics
2 hammers for 2 resources basically.  You also get a 1/2 body for your efforts.  Dunno what to think of them.  They are ok, and the Ork/Chaos/DE side of the faction wheel is hurting for good command struggle units.  Obviously pale in comparison to the Tau and Eldar units  but then it's right that some factions have strengths and weaknesses.  3/5, maybe a 4 seeing as there's no real better options for Chaos.

Soul Grinder
4/6/2 for 6.  Very pricey.  But if you win the command struggle at his planet, the opponent has to sacrifice a unit.  And he's good for the ensuing battle.  And is daemon so can come in at a discount.  Good stuff, not grade a, but good.  4/5

Warpstorm
3 resources to do 2 damage to each unit without an attachement at a planet or HQ.  The second of the Chaos Burn spells.  This can turn around games so easily.  Kinda useless against Tau, but what can you do? 5/5

Promise of Glory.
2 cultists at HQ for 0.  Or if you like, play a daemon for 2 less.  Since that's all cultists are good for.  Very nice.  4/5

Rune-Encrusted Armour.
+2atk and +2hp attachment for 2.  Very nice.  Can't give to daemons as most of them can't have wargear (except possessed)  But nice on Khorne Berzerkers.  Or anybody really.  5/5

Dire Mutation
Can play this attachment as combat action. When the attach unit exhausts, it takes 1 damage.  Double if Zarathur is present.  Kinda funny.  Worth noting that when a unit attacks, it exhausts then does it attack.  So can die before it gets to assign damage. 4/5

Fortress of Madness
Discount support card, blah blah blah 3/5

Murder Cogitator
Whenever one of your Cultist's or Daemon's dies can exhausts this to reveal the top of your card, if it's a chaos unit. Put it in your hand.  It's free(ish) draw.  Not amazing,  But free draw is nice.  3/5

And lets give some mention to the Cultist Token  It's a 1/1 who can sacrifice to reduce a daemons cost by 1.  Daemons are hard, getting them at a discount is always good.

Chaos have by far the most combat heavy units.  All the daemons hit supremely hard.  They feature the highest attacks in conquest and the best flyer.  They bring a lot of pain, and have the direct damage to bring more of it.  Vulnerable to Eldar.  Also Chaos have no ranged units so they lose there.  Not a Chaos Fan, just not my playstyle  but can appreciate how immensely good the daemons are.

Warhammer 40,000 Conquest card review type thing, Part 3

Da Orks!

Jumping right in with the Warlord and his Signature Squad

Nazdreg
2/7 and gives your guys Brutal at his planet.  Amazingly strong and enough HP to stick around in battles where he needs to be.  Probably unfair giving warlords ratings as there isn't any options at the mo.  But 5/5 anyway.

Nazdreg's Flash Gitz
2/4/1 for 3 and have a nifty action, do one damage to them to ready.  Turns on Brutal.  Only once per phase otherwise they would be brokenly good.  4/5

Kraktoof Hall
Move one damage from one unit to another.  Use it to turn on brutal on one of your guys.  Save a near dead unit.  Kill of one of their guys.  Very useful. 5/5

Bigga is Betta
Reduce an ork units cost by 2 but it comes in with a damage.  Amazing for anyone who benefits for being damaged, Bad docs, enraged orks, Killa Kans, or anyone really. 5/5


Cybork Body
Double a units HP.  Also has 3 shields.  Combos so well with Brutal it's pretty sick. 5/5

Loyal Units

Goff Nob.

No hammers, but 6/6 for 5.  Really is the very image of an ork.  Just wants to kill things.  Benefits immensely from the warlord ability.  Almost a built in land Raider effect as anything that can shut a unit down will prob go against this one. 5/5

Weirdboy Maniak
2/4/1 and he does 1 damage to everyone else at his planet when he enters play.  Brutal against anyone who has massed somewhere.  And the downside of him hitting your own guys isn't quite such a downside with orks as a lot of your units benefit from being damaged. 4/5

Rugged Killa Kans
2/5/2 with Brutal for 4.  Winner!! 5/5

Enraged Ork
Pros.  Costs 2, has 5 hp.  Has Brutal. 1 hammer
Cons  0 Attack.
I'm not a fan.  With Bigga is Betta they are a free 1/5/1.  Something to be said for that.  Will probably go from useless to dead before you see a benefit though.  2/5

Crushface,
 Makes units you deploy at his planet cheaper.  Only 3 hp, so fairly fragile for an Ork   His ability is solid gold though.  Makes it so swarming with Orks is easier. 4/5

Battle Cry
All your Orks at a planet get +2Atk until the end of the battle. Why isn't called Waaaagh!!?/5

And the rest

Sniveling Grot.
1/1/0 for zero.  Utter Crap.  1/5

Tankbusta Bommaz
3/4/2 for 4.  Solid stats and does double damage to vehicles.  A lot of vehicles are flat out scary.  So definitely worth bringing along.  4/5

Bad Dok
1/4/1 for 2 is a good deal. But if is damaged he has 4 hammers.  Best target for Bigga is Betta by far.

Rokkitboy.
Fragile but all enemy at his location loses flying.  Another utility Ork.  Worth bringing just because flyers are a pain in the arse. 4/5

Goff Boyz
0/2/0 for 1.  But get +3Atk at the first planet.  So they should probably be there.  Will probably be killed first in any first planet battle.  A 3/2 unit is a massive threat. 3/5

Shoota Mob
2/1/1 for 1.  Cheap and cheerful. 3/5

Burna Boyz
5 attack!! And they do splash damage when they attack.  Highly amusing with the Chaos Warlord. 4/5  As he will it make it so they do 6 damage to their target and 2 damage to another.  Thats a lot of damage.

Snotling Attack
4 snotlings for 2 resources. A good deal  Snotlings are just little 1/1.  4 of them can be a threat.  Watch out for aoe

Squig Bombin'
Blow up a support for 2 resources.   Every faction probably wishes they could get this card.  The Signature squad supports are especially good to get rid off as they are all amazing.  And they only ever have one.  So blow it up and it's gone for good. 5/5

Rokkit Launcha
Gives a unit ranged.  Ranged is amazing.  Goff Nobs with Ranged are flat out broken.  5/5

Ork Kannon
Does 1 damage to each side at a planet.  Weakens their guys, makes your guys better.  Can also bombs planets with rogue traders/void pirates to kill them off.  Or any of the low hp command struggle orientated units.  4/5

Bigtoof Banna
Makes 1 ork unit a turn cheaper.  Limited etc etc.  3/5

Tellyporta Pad.
Exhaust to move an ork to the first planet.  Orks love to be in the fight.  And this puts them there.  I think this card is great.  Use your hammers to win resources and then use them to win fights  5/5

Orks have the HP and the ATK to go far.  Are fairly cheap for what they bring.  All my games with Orks have been won by just throwing units at the first planet every turn.  Very hard to kill them all AND survive their return attacks.  Be very wary of doom though.  A very a strong faction at the moment.

Warhammer 40,000 Conquest Card review type thing, Part 2

So again I'm writing avout conquest cards.  This time we have the Astra Militarum *ahem* Imperial Guard.
So on with the show.  NOW WITH NUMBERS OUT OF 5!!
Starting with The Warlord and his Signature Squad

Colonel Stracken
He makes all Soldiers and Warriors at his location harder with +1ATK.  Another has to stick around for benefit warlord, so vulnerable to ganks.  But lets look at the number of units he can affect presently
Strackens Command Squad, Caidan Mortar Squad, Captain Markis, Elysian Assault Team, Stalwart Ogryn
Blood Angel Veterans,  Daring Assault Squad, Iron Hands Techmarine, Tactical Squad Cardinis
 Burna Boyz, Goff Boyz, Rokkitboy, Shoota Mob, Tankbustaz
And of course the humble Guardsman token
Thats a lot of dudes.  the Marine selection is meh, but all those Orks are great with +1atk.  5/5 for this warlord.

Strackens Command Squad
2/2/1 for 2 is a great, they benefit from Strackens aura of awesome and when they die you get a free Guardsman.  Whats not to like?  5/5

Omega level Zero Command
Whenever you win a command struggle you get a guardsman.  It's huge.  Sadly you only get one.  Games when you do get it early are going to be way different (and easier) than ones when you don't see it.  My only gripe with it.  5/5

Glorious Intervention
Sacrifice a dude to save another one. The poor sacrifice gets to do a last gasp with his atk damage as well.  Awesome guard.  Amazing card if you have the spare dudes available.  4/5

Strackens Cunning
Attachement gives +1atk and when he dies you draw 3 cards.  Nice enough.  3/5

Loyal Units

Cadian Mortar Squad
1/3/2 Ranged.  A nice unit.  Whenever a friendly dude dies you get to ready them.  Ping some dudes to death, why not? 4/5

Leman Russ Battle Tank
The MBT of the Imperial Guard.  4/6/4 for 5.  Makes it's presence felt. 4/5

Captain Markis
I don't think the card pool is quite there to support this guy.  But if you have excess tokens, sacrificing a bunch of them to exhaust the opposing army can be huge.  3/5

Enginseer Augur
Ugh. 2/2/0 for 2, already a bad deal.  Has a reaction when he dies to search the top 6 cards of your deck for an IG support costing 2 or less and put it in play.  If was when enters play maybe better.  He can get you a Omega Level Zero Command, Rockcrete Bunker, Imperial bunker or the Catachan Command Post.  Avoid 1/5


Preemptive Barrage.
For 1, give 3 of your IG units Ranged until the end of the phase.  Auto 3 of in every IG card IMO 5/5

Bodyguard
When an friendly unit takes damage, attached unit MUST absorb one of it.  Some good combos with this card.  Blood Angels Veterans for one.  Can also give it to Leman Russes, or Land Raiders.  Who doesn't want a pet tank as a bodyguard? 3/5

Rockcrete Bunker
Can absorb 1 damage a turn assigned to your units.  It's ok  2/5

And the Rest

Ratling Deadeye
1/1/1 Ranged for 1.  Not terrible.  Not great either. Still, 1 cost hammers are rarely unwelcome 3/5

Sanctioned Pysker
No attack but 2 hammers and 4 HP.  Not going anywhere soon thats for sure.  Handy dudes.  IG kinda need them for the hammers.  Also play nicely with the +2atk from catachan command squad to dissuade attempts to remove them. 4/5

Mordian Hellhound
3/3/2 with AOE 1 for 4.  A bit too all round.  But the only AOE that IG have.  Would probably always take 1.  they are a solid enough unit.

Assault Valkyrie
Possibly the most cost efficient unit in the game. 4 atk and 4 (realistically 8 with flying) for 4 is an amazing deal.  Has flying.  5/5

Stalwart Ogryn.
2/2/1 for 2.  Is immune to enemy events.  Probably not a threat enough to ever get targetted by most events.  makes them immune to doom and exterminatus which is nice.  2/5

Penal Legionnaire
If this guy had a a hammer would be 5/5.  He doesn't.  He's garbage.  Doesn't even benefit from Stracken.  He is free, but you could of drawn anything else and it would of been better.  Opportunity Cost well outweighs this 0 resource cost. 0.5/5

Infantry Conscripts.
Pricey, but the chance to have a huge attack value.  Makes Promethium Mine worth having.  I don't like them, but your mileage may vary. 2/5

Elsyian Assault Team
Come into play from hand for free if a soldier or warrior dies.  Benefits from Stracken.  4/5

Suppresive Fire
When the IG get a good source of guardsman tokens, they are going to be huge.  Anyway exhaust a  unit you control to exhaust an enemy unit.  good stuff.  4/5

Hostile Environment Gear
+3HP for an army unit.  Not much else to say.  3/5

Imperial Bunker
The IG discount support.  Read what I wrote about the marine one and apply it here.  3/5

Catachan Outpost
Exhaust this support to give a unit +2ATK.  Best card by far that the IG have available for their allies.  Excellent.  5/5


IG have the tools to go far.  Beefy units to wage war, decent at the command struggle.  Going against lore, they cannot afford to lose units for needless reasons.  Racing for the first planet is probably a bad choice for them.  they also rely greatly on their Signature support which is an issue.

Sadly for this game, Orks are currently the best faction for IG to ally with (heresy!).  They just have so many warriors for Stracken to buff and the excellent Squig Bombin.  Marines really just bring Exterminatus.  Which is an average card.