After the catastrophe that was Call to Arms (by all accounts a FANTASTIC tournament, would that Pacific Blue had allowed me to get there... yes, still very bitter) I was absolutely convinced that I had to play at Fields of Blood. The issue unfortunately was that I was also the one running the event so major preparation and organisation would be key. Luckily almost everything went off without a hitch. I learnt a bunch about being a TO (primarily don't play in a big tournament when you are also the TO - hmm...) and felt thoroughly supported by the players and wider community the whole way through the process. I got to talk (via email) to some of the giants of the community and was never in any doubt that the players were on my side and had the best interests of the tournament in mind. I would definitely put my hand up to run the event again so maybe someone will let me TO Fields in 2009. Guess we'll deal with that next year.
So...
I started Warhammer (about 8 months ago) playing Dwarfs. The primary reason for this is that, with four 40k armies, my darling wife (understanding as she is) couldn't see any good reason for me to start another army in a different system. Could I not just use my Space Marines? Or the Eldar? Ah the dear, sweet, ignorant woman. How I love her. Careful and considered explanation and phrasing convinced her to let me collect the cheapest possible force I could (some of you know the deal - mortgage, 2 kids, alcohol... priority spending etc) and because a mate was offloading his Skull Pass stuff (as you do) I offered to take it of his hands, along with a Dwarf Army book, for a bargain basement price. Bingo - the start of a Dwarf army. I few more purchases and I had something to start playing Fantasy. It wasn't/isn't an entirely optimised force but it helped me find my feet. I took it to Tin Soldiers (report on that elsewhere on this blog) and did ok; placed 10th. In playing a fair few games however I realised I was really missing out on two of the most important (and exciting) aspects of the game. It won't surprise you to know these were: movement and magic.
I needed something fast. And I needed something zappy.
Enter Pommy Dave's Lizards.
I'd watched Dave play a fair few games with the Lizzies and had been on the receiving end of the army a couple of times - enough to know they were pretty damn cool. And they had what I wanted - good leadership, fantastic movement, magic, variety. What the Dwarves lacked, the Lizards had in spades - and just like that, I was hooked. Dave offered me their use for CtA and after that fell through generously carried the offer on to Fields of Blood so Lizards it was. I had a stack of practice games to help me find my way around the list, sought opinions on builds, designed something that looked very middle of the road and I was on my way.
The list I took to Fields was thusly:
4th gen Slann - 2+ ward vs shooting/magic missiles, extra spell, BSB, Banehead
Scar-Vet - GW, Jag Charm, you know the drill
Scar-Vet - the "Pommy Dave Special", Cold One, LA, Burning Blade, Questzl, Enchanted Shield for a -1 armour save
Priest - L2 with Diadem
16 Saurus w/full command10 Skinks
10 Skinks
10 Skinks
10 Skinks - Scouts (all Skinks have Javelins)
3 Salamanders
Big fat Steg
4 Krox
4 Krox
Not real subtle but suited me and my noobness just fine.
The list scored 15/30 for Army Selection (comp). Bang on half way and just under the tournament average of 17.5/30. Interesting to see it got just a little more than some of the Daemon armies at the event but that (and the comp of other armies - including those that got the same as some of the Daemon armies) is discussion for another thread. I was happy with 15 and certainly didn't (and still don't really) know any better. What mattered was that I found it exciting to use and it offered me a perspective on the game I was not previously able to engage with successfully. The list didn't seem to overtly annoy my opponents - most shrugged their shoulder or rolled their eyes. Most have said it's middle of the road for Lizards. I don't know - ignorance is bliss I guess.
So...
In the lead up to the event one Phil Comins started this ridiculous ADC nonsense which came about because he thought it would be entertaining for him to start the tournament by bunny-hunting the new TO. Much fun was had on these forums (I know some people find this whole Ji-Dave/Dave-had thing utterly stupid and a waste of time and posting - I find it incredibly amusing) over the last couple of weeks. Phil was making some pretty bold statements about Dave scalps and I replied with something about giant-killing and crushing egos and learning him a lesson and noob-schooling him and that Star Dragons were a crutch and that I was going to kick his silly a$$ and so on. And on it went. You can see that thread here:
http://www.wargamerau.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=58794
And so the day of the tournament arrived. Co-incidentally I was tabled next to Pommy Dave (aka TOP Dave) in his Ji-Dave grudge against the Interloper, Marcelo. Truly coincidental because although I entered us onto the tables I had no idea how they were numbered (delegated task - key to surviving TOing AND playing in a tournament). Somehow Dave and I also ended up on the same table side. Maybe fate was against the ADC right from the start.
I was thoroughly briefed beforehand and the briefing went like this:
Top Dave - "You cannot lose this game".
Me - "I see... but, Phil's really good, and he knows his army, and this isn't my army it's just an experiment in learning about the game, and he has a Star Dragon...".
Top Dave - "If you lose this game I will disown you and the Birthmother will send Swearing Dave and Super Dave after you and they will beat your face in and chew your hands off and you'll never play the piano again".
Me - "I see..."
High pressure stuff.
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