Grey Knights: DaBoyz GT 2011 Project Army T-8 Weeks

Sorry for the lack of updates recently.  I'm literally spending every free minute painting and preparing for DaBoyz GT .  I recently looked over my unpainted models, did some math, and realized I need to finish 3 models per week to get the army done on time.  That's a lot at my pace.  Luckily, the henchmen go a lot faster than the knights with all the white.  I also volunteered to provide 6 tables this year so I need to build 4 more sets of terrain, and I'd like a new display board if that's even possible.

I'm not a fan of batch painting after doing so many tyranids.  I like to paint single models from start to finish now and I tend to get bored easily, so I tend to jump around a lot.  Last week I painted some knights and henchmen so this week I wanted to get some big models out of the way.  I was able to finish my dreadknight and dreadnought.

Grey Knights: DaBoyz GT 2011 Project Army T-9 Weeks

Now with bases!

With just over 2 months to go until DaBoyz GT , I still have a long way to go so I need to get serious about the painting grind.  I also volunteered to provide 6 tables worth of terrain this year so I need a week or so at the end to whip that up.  The good news is I hope to get a hobby/terrain article or two out of the process.

This week has already been a busy one with me, finishing 3 new models and basing 10.

Happy 'ArdBoyz Day!

I know it's lame, but I get excited for tournament days.  I'm lucky to get one game in per week and I thoroughly enjoy it whether I win or lose.  I reckon I've played 100 games since getting back into 40k in March 2010.  One hundred games, each entirely different from each other due to the incalculable combinations of terrain, mission, deployment, opponent's codex and build.  Even playing the same opponent twice in a row and only changing who takes the first turn can create two opposite outcomes. 

Two hundred and fifty hours of sci-fi battles on alien planets and I'm still learning new tricks and ways to avoid tricks on the battlefield.  If I replayed all those games starting at dawn and playing until dusk, it would take three weeks and I have yet to face even half of the popular competitive lists.  I recently faced a Kan Wall for the first time at the ATC.  I faced dual lash for the first time last week.  I still haven't had the pleasure of setting up across from razorwolves, decent of angels, deathwing, draigowing, or venom spam.

I know lack of experience is my biggest weakness as I'm usually able to overcome an opponent if I practice against them enough.  In response, I'm bringing a list that nobody around here has attempted or played against in all likelihood.  I will face opponents who have played ten times longer than I, and try to put them in my shoes and take them out of their comfort zone.

I look forward to tournament day as I would Christmas if it came once a month.  Three games in a row to further increase my library of experience and tactics.  Three chances in a row to meet a new hobbyist, get a rematch with your nemesis, or goof off with a friend when you both end up on the bottom tables.  Last month I missed out on our local tournament so I'm jonesin' for these three games.

The army is packed along with two tables worth of terrain.  Lists are packed in with templates and the codex.  My energy drink is in the fridge and the gas tank is full.  Today will be the second best day of the month.  On the 24th, we find out if we're having a boy or girl!

I hope to post minimal updates through the day either before or after each game, if anyone will be following along.  Wish me luck, as I wish all of you luck on 'ArdBoyz Day!

'Ardboyz Practice Nids vs CSM (Abby)

I had my second and final practice game before this weekend's coming 'ArdBoyz prelims.  KEVIN accepted my challenge and came over to the man-cave toting Abbaddon for a rematch.

Kevin's List (approx):
Abbaddon
6 Terminators + 2x combi-melta, hvy flamer, fist
3 Terminators + 3x combi-melta, fist
Berzerkers x10 + fist, icon
1k Sons x9 + sorc, doom bolt, icon, rhino, combi-flamer
Marines x10 + champ, fist, melta x2, ICG, rhino
Marines x10 + champ, fist, plasma x2, ICG, rhino
Lesser Daemons x10
Havoks x8 + autocannons x3, missile, ICG
Obliterators x3
Land Raider + possession

My List (same as LAST GAME):

Tyrant + armored shell, hive commander, heavy venom cannon, paroxysm, leech essence                                                                             

Tervigon + adrenal glands, toxin sacs, catalyst, cluster spines                       

Ymgarl Genestealers x9
Ymgarl Genestealers x9
Ymgarl Genestealers x9
Termagaunts x10

Tervigon + adrenal glands, toxin sacs, catalyst, cluster spines, crushing claws  

Genestealers x5 + toxin sacs, broodlord/scything talons                                                

Genestealers x5 + toxin sacs, broodlord/scything talons                                              

Harpy + tl heavy venom cannons                                                                              

Tyrannofex + rupture cannon, cluster spines, desiccators larvae                              
Tyrannofex + rupture cannon, cluster spines, desiccators larvae                               
 Carnifex + heavy venom cannon

Grey Knights: DaBoyz GT 2011 Project Army T-12 Weeks

Here are some painting tweaks and WIP's for this week.

I've been spending a lot of time on my Storm Raven.  This is the first vehicle I've painted in 11 years so it's been a (re-)learning experience.  My goal was a blending of a police cruiser and a SWAT truck.  (I know some of the pics are too large for the column, I just wanted the largest size so you can see the detail)

This Week's Inbox

From my friend in the Phillipines:

"Hi

Soon here and i need your advice on this list. Unfortunately i can't change this list anymore so this is what i got. I need your help with the tactics. This is what i brought

Swarmlord

2 Tyrant guard with lash whips 

elites

6 ymgarl genestealers 

3 Hiveguard

2 zoanthropes on spore

troops

10 toxin stealers 

10 toxin stealers 

9 toxin stealers and broodlord with toxin 

15 devilgaunts

tervigon with catalyst toxin and adrenal

hev support

Trygon prime 

I will be against GK, SW, BA, and DE. What can i do against them. Thanks and more power to you site"

Soon~
I like the list even though the someone people will criticize the lack of redundancy.  GK, SW, BA, and DE can be the most difficult pairings for Nids depending how the lists are built so you'll have some very tough games.

'Ardboyz Practice Nids vs (Dual Lash) CSM

I usually have one or two nights a week when the wife works late and I can get a game in after work.  I've been playing and painting the GK's pretty exclusively lately so I wanted some practice games for 'Ardboyz 2011.  I put up a challenge on our *local forum* and Rob accepted within minutes, so I think he wanted a piece of my Nids muahahaha!  I've seen Rob play Nids, DE, CSM, BT, and I know he always brings a tough list so I knew this was going to be good. 

I've been back and forth with my list over the past few weeks and this is what I brainstormed up last night:

Tyrant + armored shell, hive commander, heavy venom cannon, paroxysm, leech essence                                                                             

Tervigon + adrenal glands, toxin sacs, catalyst, cluster spines                       

Ymgarl Genestealers x9
Ymgarl Genestealers x9
Ymgarl Genestealers x9
Termagaunts x10

Tervigon + adrenal glands, toxin sacs, catalyst, cluster spines, crushing claws  

Genestealers x5 + toxin sacs, broodlord/scything talons                                                

Genestealers x5 + toxin sacs, broodlord/scything talons                                              

Harpy + tl heavy venom cannons                                                                              

Tyrannofex + rupture cannon, cluster spines, desiccators larvae                               Tyrannofex + rupture cannon, cluster spines, desiccators larvae                               Carnifex + heavy venom cannon           

The concept is I deploy a bunch of MC's with long range firepower, the commando stealers ourflank with the troop tervigon, and the ymgarls go dormant.  I hope for some good damage results before the reserves arrive and hopefully get into assault without taking any shooting casualties.  It's only 13kp's for mission #1, I should be able to get at least 6 scoring units for mission #2, and dormant ymgarls are golden in DoW for mission #3.

Taking Tyranids to 'ArdBoyz

Don't worry, they're still my first love and my Grey Knight collection hasn't reached 2500pts yet.  I have been planning out some lists and played one practice game .  Now that the preliminary scenarios are up, I'm having some second thoughts.  Of course, I'm always my own worst enemy when it comes to list building.

Anyways, I was mulling over some MSU-style lists for this year.  The list I took to the ATC was tailored down to 11 base KP's before tervigon spawns as every mission scored KP's.  I didn't do as well as I wanted, and I wanted to try something different, so I designed this list with a full force org chart.  It's not true mech-MSU, but it's a lot of units for our codex to field.

The Parasite of Mortrex
Tervigon + toxins, adrenals, catalyst
Hive Guard x3
Hive Guard x3
Ymgarls x5
Tervigon + toxins, adrenals, catalyst
Termagants x10
Genestealers x9
Genestealers x8
Genestealers x8
Genestealers x8
Gargoyles x10 + adrenals
Raveners x3 + rending
Raveners x3 + rending
Tyrannofex + cannon
Tyrannofex + cannon
Carnifex + devourers x2