Post-tourney reflections

Anyone who knows me knows I don't take gaming at all seriously. I like to pretend on occasion and have occasionally graced the top tables where the magic has come together but that's as much about being lucky as good ;)

I have just finished a 40K comp where I came 21st out of 32. Not staggering by any stretch and not quite reaching my usual spot of gloriously mid-table. But I went into this comp with a really good headspace and it made for a better weekend. It was serious ITC and I knew full well I was taking a fluffy Guard list with no real idea what I was doing.

So why play? It got the army painted and it taught me a lot about how to play Guard. And that was what I set out to get from the weekend. I did not expect to win a game (and I only won one, and only on points) but I wanted to take some lessons about how I could get the best out of a fun army that didn't have all the choices commonly found in competitive Guard armies. And that's what I got. And I know there's a couple more cool things I can add to enjoy using this army more. Pushing Bullgryns out of the back of a Valkyrie is going to be on the agenda...

Also, I meant to take lots of photos. Totally forgot. But I had a great game to finish up against a Grey Knights and Knight army driven by blogger Scotty's Padawan Apprentice and he reminded me to take photos. I didn't take remotely enough to batrep the game, but I have a few great moments. He drove the Knights and Knights really well and aside from a few shocking die rolls, comfortably tabled me on turn 5. Some pics of the hilarity:

In the distance you can probably see the silhouette of the OTHER Vindicare. He shot first. 

This was turn 2. Yup. 2. That Leman Russ on the right was basically dead and those Guardsmen? Lets say it didn't go well. 

Assassin-based revenge...

At the end of the game, Canis Rex limped onto the Objective. 

It was a close game that I techincally won on points despite being utterly smashed! Grandmaster Voldus survived on one wound (no thanks to my Ratlings. Again.) as did Canis Rex. My Primaris Psyker tried SO hard to Psychic Maelstrom that Knight off the board. SO HARD. But no. And he was stomped by the Knight for trying. It was a really enjoyable game against a great opponent. It bookended the great game I started the weekend with.

To close, I also got some painting votes. Not many, but some. And that's never happened before and I'm super proud of that. It's not a stunningly painted army but it is tidy, to a good tabletop standard, and it's well finished with transfers and basing and it looks like a cohesive force. I'm really quite pleased about that. :)

Next Time
That's a really good question. I've been so focussed on the Guard that I don't know what I'll be working on for the next week. We've been talking about Frostgrave again and I've got a couple of models that have been screaming out to be done. I think it might be their time.