40K EVENTS: The Redstone Rumble After Action Report & Pictures

THE REDSTONE RUMBLE

AFTER ACTION REPORT

PLUS PICTURES

The Redstone Rumble 2014, October the 4th and 5th, where much fun was had, much booze was consumed, much gaming was done, many friends were there and some friends gained. For me, my club and those running the Redstone I think we can declare this year yet another huge success.

Warhammer was in force with Fantasy and 40K players fighting it out over five games during two days. The Fantasy side was actually bigger than the 40K side, good to see that Fantasy has a strong following in some places. On the 40K side we had a field of 48 players, many of them were very good players. Speaking of great players, Shawn Williams and his Space Wolves won the event by a single point with Jeff O'Neal and his Orks coming in second. Each of them finished as the only undefeated players and both are from the same club, Sons of Vulcan. Congratulations, guys. I'm always happy to see Wolves coming in first. The Redstone Rumble results are here with all the results and final scores listed.

The Redstone Rumble 2014 - Day 1 - Game 3 - Hinkel of South Mississippi Gamers

How did we do as a club?

As a club I think South Mississippi Gamers had a great showing. Martino finished with 4 wins and most of the rest of us finished with a 3-2 winning record. The club as a whole went 20 - 15 for a .57 percent win record; throughout most of the tournament SMG was rocking the middle and top tables. The competition was tough and the best players in attendance got the best of us, with some exceptions, so there is lots of room for improvement next year.

How did I do?

I met my goal of finishing in the top 50% for my second ever big event. And boy, oh boy, was it a razor-thin finish, just like all of my wins. I finished exactly at 50%, placing 24th out of 48 competitors. It was a messy winning record of 3-2. I could have just as easily have lost my games than won them, every win came down to the very last round and some luck. Well, a win is a win, right? I don't feel super great about it but I'm happy to have met my goal.

My opponents were all terrific, everyone of them. Thanks to all of them because playing against someone with a bad attitude just sucks all the whole fun out of the game. Two of my opponents, Andrew Gardenhire and Ryan Johnson, placed 6th and 7th respectively, and those were the guys I lost too. Congrats, guys, I was happy to be a part of your victory. 

As a side note, my army came in 4th overall for painting. I didn't get a painting award but it felt great knowing that all the money I put into the army was worthwhile. I have to give credit due where it is due, Goatboy painted all the large models in my army. While I painted all the smaller models, and they looked very good IMO, it was clearly Goatboy's larger models that got all the attention.

Oh, yeah, I did take home the Best Chaos Space Marine Army award. Full disclosure, I was the only CSM player. Hah!

What needs improvement on my part?

I improved my sportsmanship score this year over lasts, it was well above average. I guess when you are having fun it is easy to joke around, be pleasant and too compliment your opponent when it is appropriate. So that is already improved, as well as my paint score as mentioned earlier.

What I did notice in the tournament is that only in one game did I get past turn 4. I can only blame myself and not my opponents because not getting past turn 4 consistently happened. This bothers me. I don't want to be that guy that people think is too slow or even slow-playing on purpose. I'm not sure where the problem is but I need to practice on speeding up my turns. I think I am going to start with some dice discipline. I have to roll a lot of dice to attack at times and I think grabbing for, adding up and rolling all those dice is taking a good chunk of time. Perhaps I will start to use a timer, or death clock, to help me gain some time management skills.

Clubs South Mississippi Gamers & Laughing Corpse.

It's the pictures, dummy.
Well, enough about all that, I'm sure you are more interested in the pictures than the report. Before I go, one last kudos to Jeff and the crew whom made the 3rd Annual Redstone Rumble an amazing event! Case in point (among many), this year everyone participating got some great freebies, 10 Redstone Rumble dice and 5 very nice objective tokens. It's the little things like those that make players feel appreciated and help to build upon a positive tournament experience. Well done Redstone Rumble, well done! South Mississippi Gamers and myself can't wait until next year! Ahhhhh-yeah!

Be'lakor leading the charge.
 Note the Redstone objective token in the middle, freebies!

Andrew Gardenhire's awesomely painted Knight.

My Maulerfiends hiding behind cover because there are Tau over there!

Holding the line against the Matthew Gilliland's Green Tide formation.

And still holding that same line, it was literally a wall of orks and Chaos in the center of the table.

The cat stole my Best Chaos Space Marines award.
Emilou stole it in retaliation for having to put up with a cat sitter for 2 days!

fin

40K EVENTS: The Redstone Rumble Pre-Report and List

40K EVENTS:

THE REDSTONE RUMBLE

PRE-REPORT

The Redstone Rumble is just 1 week away in beautiful Huntsville, Alabama. This annual event is being put together by the folks from The Rocket City Gamers and headed up by Jeff Weibelt. These folks do an amazing job and I believe they are expecting their biggest attendance yet this year bringing in gamers from all over the Southeast area to play 40K, Fantasy and other games.

The 40K format this year has changed from the big 2500 point brawls of the past Rumbles and evolved to fit the new Edition and time restraints. It is a 1850 point tournament basically using the Bay Area format although there are some differences like the elimination of Lords of War and all Forgeworld models.

Those of us in South Mississippi Gamers, and our regional friends, are pumped to go again this year. Last year was a roaring success and everyone raved about the easy-going atmosphere and the good times that were had. Indeed, last year Redstone felt not like an actual tournament but more like an enjoyable mini-vacation that involved much good times and playing of 40K.

This year SMG is losing one former Rumble player due to work but we are picking up two extra club members and it will be their first times at the Redstone Rumble. South Mississippi Gamers will be represented by Carl Short (Tau), Anthony Hinkel (orks), Will W. (Daemons), Logan Short (Wolves), Steve Martino (serpent spam) and myself (Chaos). And just like last year, from Florida's TBS Comics our Rumble travel group will be joined by club friend, Carter Leach (Deldar).

The Redstone Rumble brings out a handful of the best regional players, enough to make it very hard to get on those top tables unless you are an excellent player. I don't see myself anywhere near the top tables, if I break the top 50 percent I will be quite happy. Carter Leach, however, is a tremendous competitor. If he can stay away from the booze at The Rumble this year (he was tanked last year) he might actually find himself battling it out on the big boy tables. Steve Martino, on the other hand, is a top notch player but rusty with the game right now. If Steve is on his game at The Rumble he could rock the top tables.

When all is said and done, it is the experience that our club enjoys the most about The Redstone Rumble. If we happen to pick up some prizes along the way, then hey, all the better!

These guyz. >.< These guys like to roll low random attacks for me.

My Redstone Rumble List

Well, if you have been reading any of my blog (anybody?) you will have seen my Redstone list in the article here. The list has evolved 5 times due to playtesting and a general rethinking of play mechanics. Heck, I really don't even recognize the original list anymore! A lot has changed, for starters, the whole Khorne theme is out the window but it is still very much a Khorny army. Instead of trying to explain all the changes (there is a lot) I think it is best to just show you the new list. 

Got my Axe and my mojo back. Yeah baby, yeah!

My Offical
REDSTONE RUMBLE LIST - 1850

Chaos Space Marines CAD

Chaos Daemons ALLIED 

HQ
BE'LAKOR
CHAOS LORD of KHORNE 

Juggernaut of Khorne, Mark of Khorne, Sigil of Corruption, Melta Bombs, Axe of Blind Fury

HERALD of KHORNE (ally)
Juggernaut of Khorne, Lesser Gift, Locus of Wrath

TROOPS

Chaos Space Marines x5

Chaos Cultists x10

Nurglings x3 (ally)

FAST ATTACK

Chaos Spawn x5, Mark of Nurgle

Chaos Spawn x5

Flesh Hounds of Khorne x19 (ally)

HEAVY

Maulerfiend - lasher tendrils

Maulerfiend - no upgrade

Maulerfiend - no upgrade

=1847

The List Overall
I am getting more of a feel for this army and let me tell you this: it is playing less like the cleaver I thought it would be and is playing more like a game of chess to jockey for position to assault. Or at least it feels that way when playing fellow assault themed armies. Not that I am complaining or anything, I am quite pleased that this is not just a brainless hack and slash type of army.

How Do I Think I Will Do?
I have no delusions of grandeur. I have never been a very good tournament player - but I've improved by developing my killer instinct. No longer will I correct my opponent when he does something in my favor such as: makes a rules mistake, forgets something or reads his dice wrong. Yeah, in the past I've been much to friendly for my own good during a tournament.

My primary goal this year is to stay away from the bottom tables where I lived during the last Redstone Rumble. My poor Imperial Guard got gutted, every single opponent had an answer to my gunline. I did manage to win one game so I wasn't a complete loser! Ha. My number one goal this year, besides having fun, is to compete at the middle of the field but if I place in the top 50 percent I will view that as a win!

40K Events - Blind Teammate Tournament at MacNarb Gaming Part II

Blind Teammate Tournament at MacNarb Gaming on June 21st 2014

Part II

The Results

Following a late Friday night after an exciting  Dungeons & Dragons  Pathfinder game I couldn't sleep for a couple of hours afterwards so I only got about 5 hours sleep the night before the Saturday Tournament. I was the last to arrive with only five minutes to spare. Swiftly I paid for my entry and bought a box of Fantasy Skullcrushers because I needed 2 new Juggernaut Lords for my new 7th Edition tournament list. Anyway, that is for a future full article.

We had about 16 people show up, half from +SMGWargaming  and the rest from +South Alabama War Gamers  (SAWG) and TBS Comics in Florida. As the co-T.O. +SMG Hinkel called out the randomly created teams I waited, and waited and waited to hear my name called. Finally, the last team was proclaimed and it was I and Carter from TBS Comics. Carter is a great guy and a great competitor, I got to know him a little when he joined forces with our club for the +Redstone Rumble in Huntsville, AL last year. I couldn't have asked for a better pairing and we couldn't have brought more complimenting lists. His was a fast attacking Dark Eldar army with some gunboat support. My list, the one I talked about in Part I, is an objective controlling list. Perfect! He blitz attacks and I control the objectives while lending support, sounds like a super friends combo.

Game One Deployment - Right before they steal Initiative. Doh!

First Round: vs. Tau Super Heavy and Iron Fist Space Marines. Crusade Mission.

40K Events - Blind Teammate Tournament at McNarb Gaming and My List

2500 Point Random Teammate 40K Tournament at 

McNarb Gaming on June 21st

As the title says there is an event at my FLGS this Saturday, in fact, it will be the first 7th edition tournament held in our area. Our gaming club, +SMGWargaming , has announced the rules to be 7th edition with no stipulations. Heh, this ought to be interesting. 

I expect to see Imperial Knights, Lords of War and daemon summoning spamming. I'm not so worried about the summoning spam, it seems to be a dud really. But I am not looking forward to playing anyone whom brings that kind of summoning list because it slows down the game and if they are using proxies for summoned daemons it will be confusing as all get up. Do us all a flavor daemon summoning spammers, don't do it during a tournament. Friendly games are a different story and I would be happy to battle you without the time constraints and extra stress of a competitive environment.

Each tournament participant will be bringing a 1250 point list (unbound is legal) and will be randomly paired up with another participant not of their club or home area. So what this means is that we will be partnered up with people we don't know or have any experience playing with. From what I am hearing we will have people playing not only from our club but from +South Alabama War Gamers, people from the Hattiesbug area and maybe some folks from +TBS COMICS in Florida if we are lucky.

I've been playing almost exclusively with Chaos since my last bout of 40K burnout ended earlier this year. My Space Wolf army is still, after 2 years, 95% unpainted. Sigh. But I'm getting super-super-super excited about rumors of a new codex! I was enthusiastic (somewhat) about Astra Militarum when the next codex hit but I don't have any desire to play my Steel Legion army now. For some reason 6th edition has just put a sour taste in my mouth for shooting armies. I just don't like the tediousness of shooting armies. I prefer assault, it plays faster and it's a whole lot more fun - at least I think so.

In preparation for the team tournament I've put together a 1250 Chaos Space Marine list which is actually a cut down version of a 2000 list I had created for an article on the SMG blog. Right now the article has still not been posted but after it is I will place it on my blog. 

Here is a look at my 1250 list and some of it's photos.....

Typhus and his Plague Terminator retinue.

TYPHUS ZOMBIE STOMP 1250

Primary Detachment: Chaos Space Marines

HQ

TYPHUS

SORCERER - mastery level 3, terminator armor, spell familiar, force axe, combi-melta, melta bombs

ELITE

Chaos Terminators x3 - mark of Nurgle, power axe x2, chain fist, combi-melta x3

TROOPS

Chaos Cultists Plague Zombies x24

Plague Marines x5 - meltagun x2

-----> Chaos Rhino - combi-melta

Plague Marines x5 - meltagun x2

-----> Chaos Rhino - combi-melta

HEAVY

Chaos Land Raider - dirge caster, dozer blade, extra armor

=1249

For 7th edition, and especially in a tournament with no rules or list limits, I want to pack as much melta into my lists as possible so to have a chance against all the vehicles and Lords of War I am expecting to see. Much of this list has been explained in detail in my article and I will get that posted to my blog before too long. For now, I will give a quick summary of the list tactica.

The main strategy of this list is twofold; solid and unwavering troops with both fearless and feel no pain and a big "stomp" unit to threaten (and destroy) the lynch pin enemy units.

The Plague Zombies are tactically flexible, albeit slow, ideally they will sit on an objective in ruins and be a rock-solid anchor for my army. They can also be used as a screen or tarpit as needed. They might be useful for the relic mission as well.

The Plague Marines are the flexible arm of the list, able to do almost anything. They have the melta to deal with armor and they have the staying power to hold objectives. Their rhinos will give them the speed they need to take forward objectives and to attack as needed. They may support the Land Raider if it is threatened by enemy anti-armor units.

The "stomp" unit of Typhus includes a Sorcerer (for buffing himself or Typhus with Biomancy) and 3 chaos terminators. All these have 2+/5++ and T 5 (except the sorcerer). I've got melta, axes and a chainfist to deal with armor and 2 force weapons to slash through enemy units in assault. Typhus is a locomotive as long as he avoids S 10 and force weapons. The Land Raider is kitted out to insure it keeps moving and places the stomp unit where it is needed to assault.

Overall, considering the new meta, I think this list will do OK but not great. I think all that Chaos Space Marines has going for it in 7th is either all out fast assault or full Nurgle. So I will give this a try and see how it goes, list experiments are what we need to be doing right now.

Plague Zombies will eat you.
OK, so they are really Plague Bearers but they proxy close enough as zombies.