Last weekend had another GT that handed out even more tickets to the much debated Skull of Thrones. Massacre on Istvaan V is one of those rare events that is narrative in design and play. So specific in fact that only Space Marines and their variants were allowed to participate. This was also a comp event. Typically comp events are never a good idea, but when you throw a narrative, specialty missions, and team goals for players to participate in comp is pretty necessary. This event also split players into factions giving players different ways to work together to play out the story.
So anyway the lovely Teri master TO of Massacre on Istvaan V has been kind enough to provide highlights and results from her Canadian Event…
- Narrative event based loosely on the Dropsite Massacre on Istvaan V during the Horus Heresy
- Players elected to play on a “Faction” – for Horus or the Emperor – the winning faction all got prizes (determined by total kill points of the given side)
- We set up 3 different battle zones – 1 vanguard and 2 flanks. Tables in the vanguard zone played games at 1750 points and tables in the flank zones played at 1500.
- The 1st mission of the 6 games were the same throughout the zones, then each mission differed by zone each round.
- The missions had double-blind objectives: each player had the same setup and mission sheet, but had a different set of objectives, depending on the faction they chose to play for.
- Players got to either challenge an opponent each round (challenged opponent got to choose the table) or choose a table. The order players got to choose their day was determined first by win-loss record (lowest goes first) then by composition score (softest comp score within the win-loss bracket chose first) then by sportsmanship.
- Players earned “tokens” during each game that they could either spend on individual benefits for their next game or pool with their faction and purchase benefits that would benefit the entire faction – such as the appearance of a Primarch
- To the surprise of players, we had “turncoat” opportunities – at certain points in the tournament we offered the opportunity for players to switch sides, taking with the the kill points they accumulated for their faction and any other secret information discovered during the faction strategy sessions.
- Best overall, best general and glory hound were awarded by faction, best painted and sport were awarded throughout tournament.
As for the lists that won this is what they looked like.
If you are confused by some of the lists players were able to take side bars basically to complement their forces for specific missions.