So after much consideration, I chose Eldar. Sharing why may be insightful for those preparing for tournaments themselves.
First, I think the list has the tools to hang with anything, without spending egregious amounts of energy or dollars on tweaking to the meta.
The Tyranid list I can put down is almost abusive to the meta, but it's also abusive to my back and mind. It requires enormous amounts of concentration to play correctly (moving hundreds of models, then running hundreds of models, often assaulting hundreds of models, then performing I-step assault moves on hundreds of models). It's far different from a couple guard blobs, where typically each turn you are moving and shooting, but not moving ... then moving again ... then moving again, etc. It also requires a lot of memory flex that I don't necessarily feel like expending, in the sense of remembering every psychic power, when to cast it, making sure you don't mess up and mis-cast the wrong power and "Cheat" via memory failure, etc. It also can be taxing for opponents to have to spend long periods of time waiting, and also having to say "ok" or "not ok" when you forget something, or do something mistakenly - these things happen over a long tournament against top flight competition ... which the Battle for Salvation is.
Additionally, the Tyranid can be overwhelming unpleasant to play AGAINST ... not only for the above-mentioned waiting game, but because often in the current meta against the list mentioned it does not matter what you do ... you could feel you problem solved it correctly, rolled well, and played well, and lose miserably anyway. This happens a lot.
So for reasons of my own well-being, and my opponents', I'm choosing not to go with Nids ... despite believing they give me the best chance to "Win."
Onto the Eldar. I tweaked the list a little more ... with the time available, war walkers would have required me to borrow, and I want to bring my own models and my own paint jobs.
Also, I did not quite like the feel of just plopping a bunch of Space Wolves into an Eldar army, so I took the opportunity to get cracking on an Exodite-related component of guys to count as the Space Wolves, in the form of some metal lizard warriors I won at AdeptiCon a couple years ago who are armed with axes and rifles. These couple w/ a Lamian sorceress with a snake around her arm as my Rune Priest, to create a thematic group of lizard fighters recruited as Allies of Convenience by the Eldar, and handed a semi-burned-out marine raider as a ride.
Side note - I did some searching to try and find a land raider sized / size appropriate / gear appropriate proxy so as to reinforce this theme ... but it's just not plausible in the time available to find and convert one.
I think I have plenty of opportunity to win any game I'm in with the list I settled on, and the skill I can bring to bear, but I have a lower chance of winning the tournament as a whole due to match-up weaknesses and meta than I did with the Nids.
That said, this requires analysis of WHY I'm going to the Battle for Salvation. First off, significant others will be present and doing their own thing in NYC during the daytimes. Second off, it's one of the most concentrated groups of people I'm personally close with on the "Circuit" (NOVA has a higher #, but I'm occupied all weekend working). BFS is ALL about the social experience for me, a chance to hang with a ton of like minded individuals having a few brews and getting in some great games. IF I spend all weekend exhausting myself and my opponents with an unbearably difficult list to both play and play against, I'm not going to have a positive impact on that. If I go and have fun and compete well without embarrassing myself, while getting in a ton of social awesomeness ... I'm winning regardless of the outcome.
This isn't me advocating playing "Down" or not competing to win ... I certainly will play well and hard. It's just me saying that for THIS event, that I've placed highly at or won all three of the last years I've gone (Tourney Champ, Ren Man, and Bracket 2 Champ), I'm making sure to couch the list I'm bringing in my goals for the event. Look for a post on Torrent of Fire soon about exactly how this relates to the notion of what you aim to do when you attend a tournament or con. This is in a sense me practicing what I'm about to preach.
So the final list is as follows:
Farseer w/ Singing Spear - 105
Rune Priest w/ Meltabombs, Force Axe / Exodite Farseer - 105
Lone Wolf w/ Terminator Armor, Storm Shield, Chain Fist - 85
6 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 218
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
8 Grey Hunters / Exodite World Natives w/ Meltagun - 125
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
Land Raider Redeemer w/ Multi-Melta - 250
I have some painting to finish Wed. Pics to follow; very proud of the aesthetic of this army.
So after much consideration, I chose Eldar. Sharing why may be insightful for those preparing for tournaments themselves.
First, I think the list has the tools to hang with anything, without spending egregious amounts of energy or dollars on tweaking to the meta.
The Tyranid list I can put down is almost abusive to the meta, but it's also abusive to my back and mind. It requires enormous amounts of concentration to play correctly (moving hundreds of models, then running hundreds of models, often assaulting hundreds of models, then performing I-step assault moves on hundreds of models). It's far different from a couple guard blobs, where typically each turn you are moving and shooting, but not moving ... then moving again ... then moving again, etc. It also requires a lot of memory flex that I don't necessarily feel like expending, in the sense of remembering every psychic power, when to cast it, making sure you don't mess up and mis-cast the wrong power and "Cheat" via memory failure, etc. It also can be taxing for opponents to have to spend long periods of time waiting, and also having to say "ok" or "not ok" when you forget something, or do something mistakenly - these things happen over a long tournament against top flight competition ... which the Battle for Salvation is.
Additionally, the Tyranid can be overwhelming unpleasant to play AGAINST ... not only for the above-mentioned waiting game, but because often in the current meta against the list mentioned it does not matter what you do ... you could feel you problem solved it correctly, rolled well, and played well, and lose miserably anyway. This happens a lot.
So for reasons of my own well-being, and my opponents', I'm choosing not to go with Nids ... despite believing they give me the best chance to "Win."
Onto the Eldar. I tweaked the list a little more ... with the time available, war walkers would have required me to borrow, and I want to bring my own models and my own paint jobs.
Also, I did not quite like the feel of just plopping a bunch of Space Wolves into an Eldar army, so I took the opportunity to get cracking on an Exodite-related component of guys to count as the Space Wolves, in the form of some metal lizard warriors I won at AdeptiCon a couple years ago who are armed with axes and rifles. These couple w/ a Lamian sorceress with a snake around her arm as my Rune Priest, to create a thematic group of lizard fighters recruited as Allies of Convenience by the Eldar, and handed a semi-burned-out marine raider as a ride.
Side note - I did some searching to try and find a land raider sized / size appropriate / gear appropriate proxy so as to reinforce this theme ... but it's just not plausible in the time available to find and convert one.
I think I have plenty of opportunity to win any game I'm in with the list I settled on, and the skill I can bring to bear, but I have a lower chance of winning the tournament as a whole due to match-up weaknesses and meta than I did with the Nids.
That said, this requires analysis of WHY I'm going to the Battle for Salvation. First off, significant others will be present and doing their own thing in NYC during the daytimes. Second off, it's one of the most concentrated groups of people I'm personally close with on the "Circuit" (NOVA has a higher #, but I'm occupied all weekend working). BFS is ALL about the social experience for me, a chance to hang with a ton of like minded individuals having a few brews and getting in some great games. IF I spend all weekend exhausting myself and my opponents with an unbearably difficult list to both play and play against, I'm not going to have a positive impact on that. If I go and have fun and compete well without embarrassing myself, while getting in a ton of social awesomeness ... I'm winning regardless of the outcome.
This isn't me advocating playing "Down" or not competing to win ... I certainly will play well and hard. It's just me saying that for THIS event, that I've placed highly at or won all three of the last years I've gone (Tourney Champ, Ren Man, and Bracket 2 Champ), I'm making sure to couch the list I'm bringing in my goals for the event. Look for a post on Torrent of Fire soon about exactly how this relates to the notion of what you aim to do when you attend a tournament or con. This is in a sense me practicing what I'm about to preach.
So the final list is as follows:
Farseer w/ Singing Spear - 105
Rune Priest w/ Meltabombs, Force Axe / Exodite Farseer - 105
Lone Wolf w/ Terminator Armor, Storm Shield, Chain Fist - 85
6 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 218
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
8 Grey Hunters / Exodite World Natives w/ Meltagun - 125
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
Land Raider Redeemer w/ Multi-Melta - 250
I have some painting to finish Wed. Pics to follow; very proud of the aesthetic of this army.
First, I think the list has the tools to hang with anything, without spending egregious amounts of energy or dollars on tweaking to the meta.
The Tyranid list I can put down is almost abusive to the meta, but it's also abusive to my back and mind. It requires enormous amounts of concentration to play correctly (moving hundreds of models, then running hundreds of models, often assaulting hundreds of models, then performing I-step assault moves on hundreds of models). It's far different from a couple guard blobs, where typically each turn you are moving and shooting, but not moving ... then moving again ... then moving again, etc. It also requires a lot of memory flex that I don't necessarily feel like expending, in the sense of remembering every psychic power, when to cast it, making sure you don't mess up and mis-cast the wrong power and "Cheat" via memory failure, etc. It also can be taxing for opponents to have to spend long periods of time waiting, and also having to say "ok" or "not ok" when you forget something, or do something mistakenly - these things happen over a long tournament against top flight competition ... which the Battle for Salvation is.
Additionally, the Tyranid can be overwhelming unpleasant to play AGAINST ... not only for the above-mentioned waiting game, but because often in the current meta against the list mentioned it does not matter what you do ... you could feel you problem solved it correctly, rolled well, and played well, and lose miserably anyway. This happens a lot.
So for reasons of my own well-being, and my opponents', I'm choosing not to go with Nids ... despite believing they give me the best chance to "Win."
Onto the Eldar. I tweaked the list a little more ... with the time available, war walkers would have required me to borrow, and I want to bring my own models and my own paint jobs.
Also, I did not quite like the feel of just plopping a bunch of Space Wolves into an Eldar army, so I took the opportunity to get cracking on an Exodite-related component of guys to count as the Space Wolves, in the form of some metal lizard warriors I won at AdeptiCon a couple years ago who are armed with axes and rifles. These couple w/ a Lamian sorceress with a snake around her arm as my Rune Priest, to create a thematic group of lizard fighters recruited as Allies of Convenience by the Eldar, and handed a semi-burned-out marine raider as a ride.
Side note - I did some searching to try and find a land raider sized / size appropriate / gear appropriate proxy so as to reinforce this theme ... but it's just not plausible in the time available to find and convert one.
I think I have plenty of opportunity to win any game I'm in with the list I settled on, and the skill I can bring to bear, but I have a lower chance of winning the tournament as a whole due to match-up weaknesses and meta than I did with the Nids.
That said, this requires analysis of WHY I'm going to the Battle for Salvation. First off, significant others will be present and doing their own thing in NYC during the daytimes. Second off, it's one of the most concentrated groups of people I'm personally close with on the "Circuit" (NOVA has a higher #, but I'm occupied all weekend working). BFS is ALL about the social experience for me, a chance to hang with a ton of like minded individuals having a few brews and getting in some great games. IF I spend all weekend exhausting myself and my opponents with an unbearably difficult list to both play and play against, I'm not going to have a positive impact on that. If I go and have fun and compete well without embarrassing myself, while getting in a ton of social awesomeness ... I'm winning regardless of the outcome.
This isn't me advocating playing "Down" or not competing to win ... I certainly will play well and hard. It's just me saying that for THIS event, that I've placed highly at or won all three of the last years I've gone (Tourney Champ, Ren Man, and Bracket 2 Champ), I'm making sure to couch the list I'm bringing in my goals for the event. Look for a post on Torrent of Fire soon about exactly how this relates to the notion of what you aim to do when you attend a tournament or con. This is in a sense me practicing what I'm about to preach.
So the final list is as follows:
Farseer w/ Singing Spear - 105
Rune Priest w/ Meltabombs, Force Axe / Exodite Farseer - 105
Lone Wolf w/ Terminator Armor, Storm Shield, Chain Fist - 85
6 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 218
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
5 Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent w/ Scatterlaser, Shuricannon, Ghostwalk - 205
8 Grey Hunters / Exodite World Natives w/ Meltagun - 125
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
6 Swooping Hawks - 96
Land Raider Redeemer w/ Multi-Melta - 250
I have some painting to finish Wed. Pics to follow; very proud of the aesthetic of this army.