Las Vegas Open 2023 Coverage

Another year and we’re back at it for the Las Vegas Open 2023 with 1000 paid players. The LVO 2023 will be a bit different from years before, as Games Workshop threw a monkey wrench by introducing new rules right before the event. However, Frontline Gaming stuck to their guns and decided to stick with Nephilim rules, in the face of a lot of pressure. Now that the drama has died down, it looks like it was the correct choice, as so many players would have been thrown too big a curve if they were forced to play the new Arks of Omens.

So it’s important to keep that in mind when looking at the lists and army breakdowns for the event. Thankfully, Goonhammer has provided a lot of stats, but for this coverage, let’s just use this one below to show the overall faction breakdown.

As you can see, even though they’re at the bottom of the barrel, the Las Vegas Open does bring out all types of players, which explains why Space Marines are the most prevalent.

For my part, I will be checking off the Top 20 ITC Warhammer 40k 2021 season players here as they lose games. If you’re curious, you can click to see what lists they’re taking below.

1. Vik Vijay LVO 2023 – Thousand Sons – Chaos Daemons lost Round 3
2. Jack Harpster LVO 2023 – Blood Angels
3. Mike Porter LVO 2023 – Aeldari
4. David Gaylard LVO 2023 – Thousand Sons – Chaos Deamons lost round 5
5. John Lennon LVO 2023 – Tyranids lost round 5
6. Thomas Ogden LVO 2023 – T’au Empire lost round 6
7. Colin McDade LVO 2023 – Adepta Sororitas Lost Round 4
8. Nassim Fouchange LVO 2023 – T’au Empire
9. Innes Wilson LVO 2023 – Tyranids lost round 3
10. Not Attending
11. Ben Cherwien LVO 2023 – Chaos Space Marines Lost Round 1
12. Not Attending 
13. Marshall Peterson LVO 2023 – Leagues of Votann Lost Round 2
14. Anthony Vanella LVO 2023 – Chaos Space Marines Lost Round 4
15. Not Attending
16. Not Attending
17. Brenton Weiss LVO 2023 – T’au Empire lost round 3
18. Kit Smith Hanna LVO 2023 – Grey Knights lost round 1
19. Ben Jones LVO 2023 – Ynnari
20. Andrew Gonyo LVO 2023 – T’au Empire lost round 5

Of course, more players than the Top 20 will be in contention, as the LVO provides so many points that players can leapfrog and win the ITC if they can just win this one event. My predication, is pretty simple either Flamers or Harpies will reign supreme, I just don’t see the other factions having enough to handle armies with those two units that are used effectively.  

As for the rest of the coverage, we will be doing the usual, Facebook live feeds, along with pictures and hot takes from the various games as they happen, including recaps for each day. As usual, Day 1 is really a day for feeling things out, with hard coverage starting on Day 2.

 Check back periodically January 27th to 30th for Continuous Coverage

Looks like everything has gotten off without a hitch, and we have a record breaking 936 players rolling dice to start Round 1 at the Las Vegas Open 2023!

• Round 1: Possible upsets we could see this round come with two of the Top 20. Be on the look out for…
  •  
  • Kit Hanna Smith vs. Sam Procopio: Kit ended up losing by 1 point!! 
  • Anthony Vanella vs. Jon Comacho: Anthony survived.
  • We did though get another Top 20 player fall as Ben Cherwien lost his game.
    • We are down to 15 of the Top if you include the No shows.

• Round 2: Possible Upsets for this round are…
  • Again Anthony Vanella gets another good player in Tyler Bortel. Anthony surived.
  • Another Top 20 player lost with Marshal Peterson losing.

• Round 3: Possible Upsets for this round are…
  • Vik gets his first challenge against Alex Fennel. Down goes the number 1 ITC player to Alex Fennel!
  • Mike Porter gets a tough game against Tyranid master Matt Evans
  • Innes Wilson is out beat by Brad Chester’s Tau Empire