In our Road to LVO series, we’re following several different players and hobbyists as they prepare to play in one of the largest wargaming conventions on the planet. This year’s Road to LVO series is sponsored by Frontline Gaming.
Welcome back to my Road to LVO series. If you’re just joining us, I’ve been covering my summer 40k playing season leading all the way to the BIGGEST event in the world, the Las Vegas Open. And on that journey I’ve been galivanting all around the world, playing in various teams and singles events, experiencing the full panoply of what Warhammer 40k has to offer.
If you missed my previous episode about the WTC, you can find that one here.
Two weekends ago (August 24th), I attended the Utah Cup, hosted by Green Banner. I had been to previous iterations of this event and had podiumed and even won before, so this time I was hoping to secure a similar result. Note that the timing of this event was such that it was not using the urgent MFM update that was published the Wednesday prior. That’s important to note, as I was playing Chaos Knights at the event.
Why Chaos Knights?
Truth be told, many of my army decisions come down to landing on ideal team compositions for my teams events. Since I have a big event coming up with the Art of War (Challengers Cup), I needed to start getting reps on Chaos Knights. Three months ago I’d have found it highly unlikely that I’d be cycling through knights armies. But that was then and since my day-to-day life can be busy, these weekend events end up providing a great opportunity for me to learn the army.
At WTC we learned that Chaos Knights are quite strong and have a variety of builds, handling some problems better than Imperial Knights and I feel that they play better overall as well. I had mentioned in an earlier article that I would play them if I had them, and with a bit of time off that turned into a load of hobby time, I was able to get an army together for them. So the Utah Cup provided a solid, 100+ person proving ground to practice with the army and, if I did well enough, give me a small boost to my ITC score.
My list - click to expand Challengers cup mixed tape (2000 Points) Chaos Knights CHARACTERS Chaos Cerastus Knight Atrapos (355 Points) Knight Despoiler (335 Points) Knight Despoiler (335 Points) Knight Despoiler (335 Points) OTHER DATASHEETS War Dog Karnivore (140 Points) War Dog Karnivore (140 Points) ALLIED UNITS Plaguebearers (110 Points) Rotigus (250 Points) Exported with App Version: v1.39.0 (1), Data Version: v662
Infernal Lance
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
• 1x Atrapos lascutter
• 1x Graviton singularity cannon
• 1x Daemonbreath meltagun
• 1x Despoiler gatling cannon
• 1x Despoiler gatling cannon
• 1x Heavy darkflamer
• 1x Heavy darkflamer
• 1x Ruinspear rocket pod
• 1x Titanic feet
• Warlord
• 1x Daemonbreath meltagun
• 1x Despoiler gatling cannon
• 1x Despoiler gatling cannon
• 1x Heavy darkflamer
• 1x Heavy darkflamer
• 1x Ruinspear rocket pod
• 1x Titanic feet
• 1x Daemonbreath meltagun
• 1x Despoiler gatling cannon
• 1x Despoiler gatling cannon
• 1x Heavy darkflamer
• 1x Heavy darkflamer
• 1x Ruinspear rocket pod
• 1x Titanic feet
• 1x Havoc multi-launcher
• 1x Reaper chaintalon
• 1x Slaughterclaw
• 1x Havoc multi-launcher
• 1x Reaper chaintalon
• 1x Slaughterclaw
• 1x Plagueridden
◦ 1x Plaguesword
• 9x Plaguebearer
◦ 1x Daemonic Icon
◦ 1x Instrument of Chaos
◦ 9x Plaguesword
• 1x Gnarlrod
• 1x Streams of brackish filth
The list is more or less a copy of Sweden’s WTC list. It takes Infernal Lance’s Maelific Surges to the absolute max with three Double Gatling Cannon Despoilers as the stars of the show. Being able to either add movement or Sustained or Lethals Hits on 36 S6 AP-2 2-damage shots via Malefic Surge is incredible. My list also runs one Atrapos in anticipation of some mirror matches at the event and two Karnivores, some Plaguebearers, and the big man Rotigus. Thanks, Team Sweden!
Round 1 vs Jonathan Barber’s Thousand Sons (Grand Coven)
Layout 6, Crucible of Battle, Terraform
Jonathan's List - Click to Expand Thousand Sons Dressing Ingredients 1. Combine all ingredients in a small mixing bowl 2.Transfer to a jar with a lid and store in the refrigerator until needed: Thousand Sons CHARACTERS Exalted Sorcerer on Disc of Tzeentch (100 points) Infernal Master (110 points) Infernal Master (105 points) Magnus the Red (420 points) Sorcerer (75 points) Tzaangor Shaman (55 points) Tzaangor Shaman (55 points) BATTLELINE Rubric Marines (100 points) Rubric Marines (100 points) Rubric Marines (100 points) Rubric Marines (100 points) DEDICATED TRANSPORTS Chaos Rhino (90 points) OTHER DATASHEETS Chaos Spawn (65 points) Mutalith Vortex Beast (160 points) Mutalith Vortex Beast (160 points) Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows (80 points) Tzaangor Enlightened with Fatecaster Greatbows (50 points) Tzaangors (70 points) Exported with App Version: v1.39.0 (92), Data Version: v662
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 tablespoon dust
For best flavor, wait 24 hours for the flavors to meld. The dressing will keep for about a week. (1995 points)
Strike Force (2000 points)
Grand Coven
• 1x Arcane Fire
1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol
1x Prosperine khopesh
• 1x Fires of the Abyss
1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol
• Enhancement: Eldritch Vortex of E’Taph
• 1x Fires of the Abyss
1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol
• Enhancement: Umbralefic Crystal
• Warlord
• 1x Blade of Magnus
1x Gaze of Magnus
1x Tzeentch’s Firestorm
• 1x Force weapon
1x Inferno bolt pistol
1x Pandaemonic Delusion
1x Prosperine khopesh
• 1x Baleful Devolution
1x Force stave
• 1x Baleful Devolution
1x Force stave
• 1x Aspiring Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Malefic Curse
1x Warpflame pistol
• 4x Rubric Marine
• 4x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Flame
1x Soulreaper cannon
3x Warpflamer
• 1x Aspiring Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Malefic Curse
1x Warpflame pistol
• 4x Rubric Marine
• 4x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Flame
1x Soulreaper cannon
3x Warpflamer
• 1x Aspiring Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Malefic Curse
1x Warpflame pistol
• 4x Rubric Marine
• 4x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Flame
1x Soulreaper cannon
3x Warpflamer
• 1x Aspiring Sorcerer
• 1x Force weapon
1x Malefic Curse
1x Warpflame pistol
• 4x Rubric Marine
• 4x Close combat weapon
1x Icon of Flame
1x Soulreaper cannon
3x Warpflamer
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Havoc launcher
2x Inferno combi-bolter
• 2x Chaos Spawn
• 2x Hideous mutations
• 1x Betentacled maw
1x Mutalith claws
1x Warp vortex
• 1x Betentacled maw
1x Mutalith claws
1x Warp vortex
• 1x Aviarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Fatecaster greatbow
• 5x Enlightened
• 5x Close combat weapon
5x Fatecaster greatbow
• 1x Aviarch
• 1x Close combat weapon
1x Fatecaster greatbow
• 2x Enlightened
• 2x Close combat weapon
2x Fatecaster greatbow
• 1x Twistbray
• 1x Tzaangor blades
• 9x Tzaangor
• 1x Brayhorn
1x Herd banner
9x Tzaangor blades
It was showtime and I drew a I matchup that I knew could get out of control if I didn’t respect it. I’d been playing Thousand Sons for a few months leading up this and I’ve become fairly comfortable with the army. Because of that, I’m comfortable playing into them – there are no surprises; I know the damage output and how to exploit their weaknesses.
I won the roll-off to go first, which is good on Terraform and one of the few times you want to go first in the CA2025-26 missions pack. I used my Karnivores to roll forward and terraform some objectives while staging my big knights to respond. Rotigus thundered forward to hold my expansion objective. Jonathan under-committed to my Karnivore in the middle objective, leaving it alive on a couple of wounds, allowing me to use Insane Bravery to auto-pass morale with it the following turn and score an early 12-point primary boost.
From there I was able to push forward into midtable terrain, using the TOWERING rule to gain line of sight on most of his army. I also moved within 18″ of Jonathan’s six-model Tzaangor Enlightened unit with Sorcerer on Disc and tore them up. Although Jonathan was able to score 9 Challenger VP to fight off a rough differential score, things trended to a win from there.
Round 2 vs Dallin Graff’s Imperial Knights (Noble Lance)
Layout 6, Search and Destroy, Take and Hold
Dallin's List - Click to Expand I Make Knights Look Weak (1995 Points) Imperial Knights CHARACTERS Canis Rex (380 Points) Cerastus Knight Lancer (390 Points) Knight Warden (405 Points) BATTLELINE Armiger Helverin (130 Points) Armiger Helverin (130 Points) Armiger Warglaive (140 Points) Armiger Warglaive (140 Points) Armiger Warglaive (140 Points) Armiger Warglaive (140 Points) Exported with App Version: v1.39.0 (1), Data Version: v662
Noble Lance
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
• Warlord
• 1x Chainbreaker las-impulsor
• 1x Chainbreaker multi-laser
• 1x Freedom’s Hand
• 1x Cerastus shock lance
• Enhancements: Mysterious Guardian
• 1x Avenger gatling cannon
• 1x Heavy flamer
• 1x Ironstorm missile pod
• 1x Meltagun
• 1x Thunderstrike gauntlet
• Enhancements: Unyielding Paragon
• 2x Armiger autocannon
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Questoris heavy stubber
• 2x Armiger autocannon
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Questoris heavy stubber
• 1x Meltagun
• 1x Reaper chain-cleaver
• 1x Thermal spear
• 1x Meltagun
• 1x Reaper chain-cleaver
• 1x Thermal spear
• 1x Meltagun
• 1x Reaper chain-cleaver
• 1x Thermal spear
• 1x Meltagun
• 1x Reaper chain-cleaver
• 1x Thermal spear
I went to lunch and grabbed some pad thai from one of the pretty awesome food trucks at the event, then waited patiently for pairings. Uh oh – Imperial Knights. That can be a very rough matchup for me, as I’d learned from my own experience playing the faction.
Dallin was a very pleasant opponent and we went over each other’s lists. He was running zero Atrapos – something I was happy about – but the Warden can make me sweat a little since it could halve the damage of my Despoilers. On top of that, AP reduction on the model itself could be a concern after factoring in cover benefits.
Dallin was forced to go first – I was ecstatic about this. He’d have to expose his small knights in order to play the game and Karnivores and Despoilers are fantastic at fighting them. He exposed three on his first turn and I was able to destroy a couple, but he didn’t give me any bigs to handle so I held back. I used Rotigus to advance onto my expansion point. On his turn he pushed his big knights up, destroyed a Karnivore, and did a respectable amount of damage to Rotigus but the big daemon lived. It was Go Time. I had enough firepower to pick up two big knights here and put the game away, and handed his Lancer with ten remaining wounds a whopping fourteen 4++ saves to make… and he promptly passed eleven of them after rolling hot against my Atrapos. Big problem. I barely managed to kill the Warden on the center objective but I needed the melee from a Karnivore to do it, and the Warden fought on death and killed it in retaliation.
The game was getting much closer than I’d have liked, dice be damned. Dallin rolled forward, using Canis and one of his Armigers to kill my Atrapos from full wounds, while his bracketed Lancer dropped four wounds on my Despoiler. The good news was I had Malefic surged with the Despoiler to give him a 5+ invulnerable save in melee. The bad news was I failed all four saves and the Despoiler died in combat.
I was in trouble, down big in points due to taking fixed objectives. I did my best here to furiously make up any points I could, finishing off the Lancer and dealing 16 damage to Canis. On his end, I could see his winning play line to put the game away, but he never took that route, running Canis away to try and rob me of secondary VP for my fixed secondaries. However I was the Challenger this round and between those 3 VP (my first win with a Challenger mission), and primary VP scored at the end of the turn, I was able to squeak out the win.
Result: 71-69, Win
After the game I discussed the playline with Dallin, showing him how he could disembark with Sir Hekhtur behind a wall to prevent me from attack him after destroying Canis Rex – per the unit’s rules, Canis isn’t considered destroyed unless Hekhtur is also destroyed, so even if I’d destroyed the knight I wouldn’t have scored Assassination/Bring it Down unless I could also kill the pilot.
Round 3 vs James Walsh’s Dark Angels (Company of Hunters)
Layout 6, Scorched Earth, Crucible of Battle
James' List - Click to Expand DA – Motorcycle Rally (2000 Points) Space Marines CHARACTERS Ravenwing Command Squad (120 Points) Ravenwing Command Squad (140 Points) Ravenwing Command Squad (135 Points) BATTLELINE Outrider Squad (80 Points) Outrider Squad (80 Points) Outrider Squad (80 Points) OTHER DATASHEETS Ballistus Dreadnought (140 Points) Ballistus Dreadnought (140 Points) Ballistus Dreadnought (140 Points) Centurion Devastator Squad (165 Points) Centurion Devastator Squad (165 Points) Centurion Devastator Squad (165 Points) Invader ATV (60 Points) Scout Squad (70 Points) Scout Squad (70 Points) Storm Speeder Hammerstrike (125 Points) Storm Speeder Hammerstrike (125 Points) Exported with App Version: v1.39.0 (1), Data Version: v662
Dark Angels
Company of Hunters
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
• 1x Ravenwing Champion
• Warlord
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Master-crafted power weapon
◦ 1x Plasma talon
• 1x Ravenwing Apothecary
◦ 1x Black Knight combat weapon
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Plasma talon
• 1x Ravenwing Ancient
◦ 1x Black Knight combat weapon
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Plasma talon
• 1x Ravenwing Champion
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Master-crafted power weapon
◦ 1x Plasma talon
◦ Enhancements: Recon Hunter
• 1x Ravenwing Apothecary
◦ 1x Black Knight combat weapon
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Plasma talon
• 1x Ravenwing Ancient
◦ 1x Black Knight combat weapon
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Plasma talon
• 1x Ravenwing Champion
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Master-crafted power weapon
◦ 1x Plasma talon
◦ Enhancements: Master of Manoeuvre
• 1x Ravenwing Apothecary
◦ 1x Black Knight combat weapon
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Plasma talon
• 1x Ravenwing Ancient
◦ 1x Black Knight combat weapon
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Plasma talon
• 1x Outrider Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes chainsword
◦ 1x Heavy bolt pistol
◦ 1x Twin bolt rifle
• 2x Outrider
◦ 2x Astartes chainsword
◦ 2x Heavy bolt pistol
◦ 2x Twin bolt rifle
• 1x Outrider Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes chainsword
◦ 1x Heavy bolt pistol
◦ 1x Twin bolt rifle
• 2x Outrider
◦ 2x Astartes chainsword
◦ 2x Heavy bolt pistol
◦ 2x Twin bolt rifle
• 1x Outrider Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes chainsword
◦ 1x Heavy bolt pistol
◦ 1x Twin bolt rifle
• 2x Outrider
◦ 2x Astartes chainsword
◦ 2x Heavy bolt pistol
◦ 2x Twin bolt rifle
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Ballistus lascannon
• 1x Ballistus missile launcher
• 1x Twin storm bolter
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Ballistus lascannon
• 1x Ballistus missile launcher
• 1x Twin storm bolter
• 1x Armoured feet
• 1x Ballistus lascannon
• 1x Ballistus missile launcher
• 1x Twin storm bolter
• 1x Devastator Centurion Sergeant
◦ 1x Centurion fists
◦ 1x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 1x Grav-cannon
• 2x Devastator Centurion
◦ 2x Centurion fists
◦ 2x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 2x Grav-cannon
• 1x Devastator Centurion Sergeant
◦ 1x Centurion fists
◦ 1x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 1x Grav-cannon
• 2x Devastator Centurion
◦ 2x Centurion fists
◦ 2x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 2x Grav-cannon
• 1x Devastator Centurion Sergeant
◦ 1x Centurion fists
◦ 1x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 1x Grav-cannon
• 2x Devastator Centurion
◦ 2x Centurion fists
◦ 2x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 2x Grav-cannon
• 1x Bolt pistol
• 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Multi-melta
• 1x Twin bolt rifle
• 1x Scout Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes chainsword
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Scout
◦ 2x Astartes shotgun
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy bolter
◦ 1x Scout sniper rifle
• 1x Scout Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes chainsword
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
• 4x Scout
◦ 2x Astartes shotgun
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Missile launcher
◦ 1x Scout sniper rifle
• 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Hammerstrike missile launcher
• 2x Krakstorm grenade launcher
• 1x Melta destroyer
• 1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Hammerstrike missile launcher
• 2x Krakstorm grenade launcher
• 1x Melta destroyer
Would you look at that – I get paired into James Walsh, making this a bit of a rematch as we’d been paired the last time I attended Utah Cup. That was back in my Aeldari days. James’ list was a Company of Hunters list so I asked him to give me a brief education on just what exactly they do. I’ve had zero experience with the detachment but my eyes definitely landed on him having three units of Devastator Centurions with Grav Weapons. Anti-vehicle 2+ sounds like it will be great against my Knights.
The game began with James going first, and using one of his Outrider units with a Command Squad to essentially pen me into my Deployment Zone. He has a sticky objective Stratagem that’s pretty versatile, so he is hoping to sticky objectives in No Man’s Land and block me in while scoring. I ended up needing a 4+ advance on a 17″ move with a Karnivore to make it over onto his expansion and ignore the middle of the table, while I sent Rotigus to hold my expansion objective. James had an extra trick – a special turn 1 Rapid Ingress from his Detachment – and he used that to flip the objective right back before his turn.
We did this objective trading game for a bit, with me refusing to expose my big knights to his Centurion squads. But this also meant he was running out of non-essential resources at a quick pace as the Despoilers ripped through the bike squads with little issue. As we got into the meat of the match and had to finally expose big units at each other, I was feeling confident knowing he couldn’t trade evenly. I also had a primary advantage and this turned even better when I spiked my invulnerable saves against his Centurions.
Result: 88-57, Win
I ended the day undefeated and headed to dinner in high spirits. We hit Toscano’s Brazilian Steakhouse, where I promptly ate myself into a meat coma and had a great social outing with all the other 40k nerds.
Round 4 vs Chase Fowers, Chaos Space Marines (Pactbound Zealots)
Layout 1 , Take and Hold, Tipping Point
Chase's List - Click to Expand CSM (1995 Points) Chaos Space Marines CHARACTERS Chaos Lord (90 Points) Chaos Lord (90 Points) Cypher (90 Points) Lord Discordant on Helstalker (175 Points) BATTLELINE Cultist Mob (50 Points) Legionaries (90 Points) Legionaries (90 Points) Legionaries (90 Points) Legionaries (90 Points) DEDICATED TRANSPORTS Chaos Rhino (75 Points) Chaos Rhino (75 Points) OTHER DATASHEETS Chaos Predator Annihilator (135 Points) Chaos Vindicator (185 Points) Chaos Vindicator (185 Points) Possessed (240 Points) Possessed (120 Points) Warp Talons (125 Points) Exported with App Version: v1.39.0 (1), Data Version: v662
Pactbound Zealots
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
• Warlord
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Daemon hammer
• 1x Plasma pistol
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Daemon hammer
• 1x Plasma pistol
• 1x Cypher’s bolt pistol
• 1x Cypher’s plasma pistol
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Baleflamer
• 1x Bladed limbs
• 1x Bolt Pistol
• 1x Impaler chainglaive
• 1x Magma cutter
• Enhancements: Intoxicating Elixir
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 1x Cultist Champion
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Brutal assault weapon
• 9x Chaos Cultist
◦ 9x Autopistol
◦ 9x Brutal assault weapon
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Aspiring Champion
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• 4x Legionary
◦ 3x Astartes chainsword
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Aspiring Champion
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• 4x Legionary
◦ 3x Astartes chainsword
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Aspiring Champion
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• 4x Legionary
◦ 3x Astartes chainsword
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Aspiring Champion
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• 4x Legionary
◦ 3x Astartes chainsword
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Heavy melee weapon
◦ 1x Plasma pistol
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Havoc launcher
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Havoc launcher
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Havoc launcher
• 2x Lascannon
• 1x Predator twin lascannon
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Demolisher cannon
• 1x Havoc launcher
• Mark of Chaos: Nurgle
• 1x Armoured tracks
• 1x Combi-bolter
• 1x Demolisher cannon
• 1x Havoc launcher
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Possessed Champion
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 1x Hideous mutations
• 9x Possessed
◦ 9x Hideous mutations
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Possessed Champion
◦ 1x Chaos Icon
◦ 1x Hideous mutations
• 4x Possessed
◦ 4x Hideous mutations
• Mark of Chaos: Slaanesh
• 1x Warp Talon Champion
◦ 1x Warp claws
• 4x Warp Talon
◦ 4x Warp claws
The first round of day two pairings went up and I was paired into a Pactbound Zealots CSM list. I was a little bit spooked by the idea as I knew a full shooting list in this detachment could be bad news bears for my Chaos Knights. I fortunately only saw three tanks in his whole list and a load of melee infantry. That’s pretty good news for the Despoilers and my ability to reduce enemy AP in melee. Being able to save on a 3+ against Possessed really blunts their impact.
After a introductions we got things under way. Chase positioned his Vindicators in the upper left quarter of the table where they only had sightlines to his expansion and maybe the area a bit past that. I took advantage of this and the relatively slow speed and limited range of his tanks to push to the other flank with only the single Predator, knowing he couldn’t reasonable solve a knight with his list without fire support. I held to the plan for three turns as the noose closed around him and without him putting units on his expansion I had no reason to go that direction. So I didn’t – I played off the middle and my own expansion with Rotigus as my anvil.
Chase saw the game state flipping and attempted to play out of it, but it was a bit too late. He made an excellent recovery on his second turn when he sent his Legionaries to secure some primary on the flank I refused, and he was able to kill some knights late and close the gap with Challenger cards. Things got a bit close for comfort when I scored none of my secondaries in Round 4 and I almost lost on a math error when I double counted his primary scoring. Fortunately Chase corrected me on the error and lets me know that at no point was I losing the game.
Result: 76-67, Win
Round 5 vs Durante “Glynisir” Bozzini’s T’au Empire (Kauyon)
Layout 1, Purge The Foe, Crucible of Battle
Durante's list - Click to Expand Railguns Have 2 Shots & Ignore Mods +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Char1: 1x Commander Shadowsun (100 pts): Warlord, Battlesuit fists, Flechette launcher, 2x High-energy fusion blaster, Light missile pod, Pulse pistol 10x Breacher Team (100 pts) 10x Kroot Carnivores (65 pts) 10x Pathfinder Team (90 pts) 3x Stealth Battlesuits (80 pts) 3x Stealth Battlesuits (80 pts) 5x Vespid Stingwings (65 pts) 2x Krootox Riders (60 pts): 2x Close combat weapon, 2x Krootox fists, 2x Repeater cannon 1x Ghostkeel Battlesuit (160 pts): Battlesuit support system, Ghostkeel fists, Cyclic ion raker, Twin fusion blaster
+ PLAYER NAME: Dante (Glynisir)
+ FACTION KEYWORD: Xenos – T’au Empire
+ DETACHMENT: Kauyon
+ TOTAL ARMY POINTS: 2000pts
+ WARLORD: Char1: Commander Shadowsun
+ NUMBER OF UNITS: 18
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
• 1x Breacher Fire Warrior Shas’ui: Guardian Drone, Shield Drone, Close combat weapon, Pulse blaster, Pulse pistol, Support turret
• 9x Breacher Fire Warriors: 9 with Close combat weapon, Pulse blaster, Pulse pistol
• 1x Long-quill: Close combat weapon, Kroot pistol, Kroot carbine
• 1x Kroot Carnivore: Close combat weapon, Tanglebomb launcher
• 8x Kroot Carnivores: 8 with Close combat weapon, Kroot rifle
• 9x Pathfinders
6 with Close combat weapon, Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol
3 with Close combat weapon, Ion rifle, Pulse pistol
• 1x Pathfinder Shas’ui: Shield Drone, Recon drone, Drone burst cannon, Close combat weapon, Pulse carbine, Pulse pistol, Semi-automatic grenade launcher, Twin pulse carbine
• 1x Stealth Shas’vre: Battlesuit support system, Homing beacon, Marker Drone, Shield Drone, Battlesuit fists, Fusion blaster
• 2x Stealth Shas’ui: 2 with Battlesuit fists, Burst cannon
• 1x Stealth Shas’vre: Battlesuit support system, Homing beacon, Marker Drone, Shield Drone, Battlesuit fists, Fusion blaster
• 2x Stealth Shas’ui: 2 with Battlesuit fists, Burst cannon
• 1x Vespid Strain Leader: Neutron blaster, Stingwing claws
• 4x Vespid Stingwings: 4 with Neutron blaster, Stingwing claws
1x Piranha (60 pts): Armoured hull, 2x Twin pulse carbine, Piranha fusion blaster, 2x Seeker missile
1x Piranha (60 pts): Armoured hull, 2x Twin pulse carbine, Piranha fusion blaster, 2x Seeker missile
1x Riptide Battlesuit (190 pts): Riptide fists, Ion accelerator, 2x Missile pod, Twin smart missile system
1x Riptide Battlesuit (190 pts): Riptide fists, Ion accelerator, 2x Missile pod, Twin smart missile system
1x Riptide Battlesuit (190 pts): Riptide fists, Ion accelerator, 2x Missile pod, Twin smart missile system
1x Hammerhead Gunship (145 pts): Armoured hull, Railgun, 2x Seeker missile, 2x Smart missile system
1x Sky Ray Gunship (140 pts): Armoured hull, Seeker missile rack, 2x Smart missile system
1x Sky Ray Gunship (140 pts): Armoured hull, Seeker missile rack, 2x Smart missile system
1x Devilfish (85 pts): Accelerator burst cannon, Armoured hull, 2x Seeker missile, 2x Smart missile system
Going into an event like this I look for the handful of people on the roster who I know are going to be people that I am required to beat in order to win the event. Durante was at the top of that list. He had dodged the horrific Morty’s Hammer matchup he was fearing and I had dodged my Aeldari nightmare and we were pitted together in a win-and-podium matchup.
Durante is a seasoned opponent and one of only a few people on the planet against whom I have a negative win rate. The man works harder than nearly anyone I know at this level of competition, coming to each round with pre-drawn maps, knowing every mission and firing line. It’s quite impressive and reminds me of when I also was working hard at being the best player I could be.
So the pressure was on, to say the least.
I had some mission advantage here and the army is fairly capable into Tau. Durante was going first, and took fixed objectives (Bring it Down, Assassination) as he planned on downing my big knights. We started skirmishing and I was forced to expose myself early to score the secondaries I drew, making Rotigus and a Karnivore available Durante didn’t expose anything in order to avoid giving up the early four points for a turn 1 kill on Purge.
On turn 2 things got spicy when he chose to expose his units – he couldn’t afford to let me score a “hold more” on Purge, nor to allow a Karnivore to run free, so he set up his game plan and exposed himself while going for the kill on the Karnivore while dropping Rotigus to half wounds. That put me on the Go Turn, and I was set up to destroy three of his hulls . That’s when Disaster struck and one of my Despoilers battle-shocked walking through terrain. This meant he wouldn’t be able to get a 4+ invulnerable save during Durante’s shooting phase, nor could he strip cover from the Hammerhead I’d lined up shots against. That was disappointing, but I could adjust.
I was close to accomplishing my goals when I spiked my dice to kill a riptide with my Atrapos in a single activation, then I killed the Skyray behind it and dropped the aforementioned Hammerhead to four wounds. I killed some other skirmish pieces in the middle and the game was looking incredibly favorable for me. For context, Durante and I had played this style of game before and it’s not uncommon for 1400 points of T’au to struggle killing more than a single night. He was mentally notching a loss but promised to give me the best game possible.
And he delivered.
Now look, I’m not a player who blames dice. I was asked at dinner how many games or what percentage of games I’d played where dice swings truly mattered. And my response was that it was less than ten percent but definitely not zero.
So all that said, Durante’s first Kauyon turn should go down as a feat of legendary dice, to the point that I cannot recall a game in eight years of my Warhammer experience that can top it. Every single activation, every seeker missile salvo all resolved on the high end, creating an apocalyptic event. That four-wound Hammerhead? It put 23 damage on the knight that shot it (Rob: This means it rolled a 6 to hit with the railgun to proc a sustained hit and probably rolled at least one six on the damage, presumably also with a devastating wound in the mix for good measure).
When the dust had settled I had lost one Despoiler, the Atrapos, and Rotigus while another Despoiler was tagged by Krootox Riders. Durante was just as surprised as me. It was time to buckle down – I had a way out. I mathed out my turn. I just needed some average things to happen to stay in the game with maybe one thing going my way to notch a win. Unfortunately it just wasn’t my day and I fell short by 1 wound in multiple places, leaving a Riptide alive on 2 and a pesky Breacher team alive, denying me a secondary and letting Durante score Hold More.
Result: 62-100, Loss
Round 6 vs Robby Curneal’s Adepta Sororitas (Hallowed Martyrs)
Layout 1, Take and Hold, Search and Destroy
Robby's List - click to Expand 1 I also trust Jeff (1995 points) Adepta Sororitas CHARACTERS Canoness (60 points) Daemonifuge (85 points) Imagifier (65 points) Junith Eruita (80 points) Morvenn Vahl (170 points) Palatine (75 points) Palatine (50 points) BATTLELINE Battle Sisters Squad (105 points) Battle Sisters Squad (105 points) DEDICATED TRANSPORTS Immolator (115 points) Immolator (115 points) OTHER DATASHEETS Castigator (160 points) Castigator (160 points) Celestian Sacresants (130 points) Mortifiers (70 points) Mortifiers (70 points) Mortifiers (70 points) Paragon Warsuits (210 points) Sisters Novitiate Squad (100 points) Exported with App Version: v1.39.0 (92), Data Version: v662
Strike Force (2000 points)
Hallowed Martyrs
• 1x Blessed blade
1x Inferno pistol
• Enhancement: Saintly Example
• 1x Ephrael Stern
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Sanctity
• 1x Kyganil of the Bloody Tears
• 1x The Outcast’s Weapons
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Boltgun
1x Close combat weapon
• 1x Mace of Castigation
1x Twin Ministorum heavy flamer
• Warlord
• 1x Fidelis
1x Lance of Illumination
1x Paragon missile launcher
• 1x Palatine blade
1x Plasma pistol
• Enhancement: Through Suffering, Strength
• 1x Bolt Pistol
1x Palatine blade
• 1x Sister Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Inferno pistol
1x Power weapon
• 9x Battle Sister
• 9x Bolt pistol
7x Boltgun
9x Close combat weapon
1x Meltagun
1x Multi-melta
1x Simulacrum Imperialis
• 1x Sister Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Inferno pistol
1x Power weapon
• 9x Battle Sister
• 9x Bolt pistol
7x Boltgun
9x Close combat weapon
1x Meltagun
1x Multi-melta
1x Simulacrum Imperialis
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Twin multi-melta
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Twin multi-melta
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Castigator autocannons
3x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Storm bolter
• 1x Armoured tracks
1x Castigator autocannons
3x Heavy bolter
1x Hunter-killer missile
1x Storm bolter
• 1x Sacresant Superior
• 1x Anointed halberd
1x Bolt pistol
• 9x Celestian Sacresant
• 9x Anointed halberd
9x Bolt pistol
• 1x Anchorite Sarcophagus
2x Heavy bolter
1x Twin penitent buzz-blades
• 1x Anchorite Sarcophagus
2x Heavy bolter
1x Twin penitent buzz-blades
• 1x Anchorite Sarcophagus
2x Heavy bolter
1x Twin penitent buzz-blades
• 1x Paragon Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Multi-melta
1x Paragon storm bolters
1x Paragon war mace
• 2x Paragon
• 2x Bolt pistol
2x Multi-melta
2x Paragon storm bolters
2x Paragon war blade
• 1x Novitiate Superior
• 1x Bolt pistol
1x Close combat weapon
1x Power weapon
• 9x Sister Novitiate
• 9x Autopistol
4x Close combat weapon
2x Ministorum flamer
5x Novitiate melee weapons
1x Sacred Banner
1x Simulacrum Imperialis
Oh man what a hell of a round 5. But it wasn’t over yet – there was another round and I wanted to go out on a high night. Robby played my USA Academy teammate, Chase Chappel, in the previous round on Wargames Live where Chase was running a very similar Chaos Knights list. Robby lost that one but it was a very Knight-favored mission.
So he was fully aware of what my army could do. I had a few questions before the game (what the heck is a daemonifuge?) but outside that I felt favored going into the matchup. He started holding Morvenn Vahl in reserves and I put “answering her eventual Rapid Ingress” at the top of my “problems to solve” list. She’s a problem as she can resurrect in this detachment and can backpack the entire army in a Knights matchup.
We started the game and Rotigus did his whole “hold the expansion” thing and Robby completely refused that flank, giving me a game play of just denying him primary and holding him to 5 each turn. I used my Karnivores to sprint up the table edges to deny a useful Ingress and Morvenn ended up having to arrive in the back of his own deployment zone. Gatling guns ripped through anything I was able to draw a line to. If I could kill a character, I made sure to kill multiple to throw off his Resurrection Stratagem. Robby held back his Sacresants and I gave them too much respect (I didn’t check their profiles until later), not putting any models in the center. The game began to slip and Robby went full send but it just wasn’t enough in this case.
Result: 92-53, Win
That put me at 5-1 with a 6th place finish.
Thoughts on Post-Nerf Chaos Knights
Well this last event didn’t take the MFM into account but even with those changes I think that both flavors of knights are entirely playable. In most cases the lists that are floating around drop one of the small knights and can keep on trucking. They still win their matchups and lose to their counters. So not enough has changed to convince me to drop them. That said, I learned that I dislike the Chaos flavor of Atrapos and will not be running it again.
What’s Next?
I have a small RTT coming up, followed by some time off and then my next event is Challengers Cup, a teams event in which I will be one of the eight members of Art of War playing. I have some grinding and prep to perform leading up to this and then one week later it’s finally time for LVO, the biggest event of the year. It’s gonna be a wild ride. My next article will be covering just how I plan my year for a top ITC placing. See you then.
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