So, as I've mentioned, myself and a few of my fellow Warmachine and Hordes players have enrolled in the Ontario Team Championships being hosted by the guys from Party Foul (Great guys by the way... check out their web page at http://partyfoulwmh.com/wp/ ) The road to get there ahs been interesting and has been quite the journey. I plan on documenting it in this little "Road To War" series which will likely be 2-4 entries long.
So, really, why am I documenting this? Its just a tournament..What's so special about that? The truth of it is manifold. I'm hoping that ambitious new players who are a little hesitant about jumping into competitive play have a bit of a primer, and are aware that they're not alone. Also, I will admit, a bit of it is self discovery. Never having played in anything outside of my local stores and "Basement-Machine", this has become a neat opportunity to see the game in a wider spectrum. There are a plethora of reasons, including some I probably haven't realised yet. but, onwards and upwards, as they say!!!
So, A long time ago, a friend of mine introduced me to Miniature wargaming. As I started to get into it, we got into a discussion about the competitive circuit, and he told me that it was a completely different animal from casual play. The folks there are more cutthroat and aggressive. I suspect its because in the competitive circuit, there is a goal that extends beyond the parameters of the game. Some folks take it in stride, and some throw themselves right into it. Of course, in light of this, I have upped my approach to my game. Those that know me know that I tend to play with a bit of a flight of fancy. I've played this game for about two years now, and I've never been particular about who I use. Hell I've been known to ad lib lists at the drop of a hat with very little structure and theme. Of course as we've joined the OTC, that game has changed significantly. Since we've joined, I've played two lists exclusively (If you're curious to see, go to the Ontario Team championships section of Party Foul's web page and look for the Motor City Maniacs Team roster and lists. I'm the Skorne player). It's been extremely rewarding playing these two lists repeatedly. I was worried that they would get tedious and boring, but I've found that discovering your own weaknesses is just as intriguing as finding your opponents', and really opns you up to the experience of the game. I guess its this sort of thing that drives people to play at this level because the level of game experience is a whole new level. I have every pretense that my ass will be handed to me at almost every game but i'm looking forward to getting all the dishing available. But what I really like is that its a team championship. It' not just you vs them, but rather your crack team of players against other crack teams. One of the things I've really enjoyed has been the discussions we've had at "team meetings" (which is a tight term for a loose get together of whoevers available) where we look at the tactica or each list. I was uber excited when I realized that I have a list that can easily break one of the most sought after Circle of Orboros' lists (even though the unlocking key to this was discovered by me after my list had been submitted). Also learning about other army strengths based on list build has been really cool as we've discussed how each of our builds is in terms of what we have to offer and what to look out for. I'm finding some solid rewards in preparing for the OTC, and some cool ideas have come to mind when it comes to preparation, and i'd like to share them...
A) Have a rudimentary idea of what you want to play: Do you want to play a beast rush/Jack rush? Are you a "Dude-spammer" (Do you prefer to run infantry heavy)? Are you a synergist? Know what and how you want to play.
B) Think of a list that caters to your playstyle. Then think about what breaks it. Then play against the crap that breaks it to see how well you can hold up against it.
C) Play a list thats out of your comfort zone. My second list for OTC is an Assassination Run list and I have never run assassination Run...the idea scares the shit out of me, but i run it anyway. I suggest this becuase as you see how other models work, you nay see a pattern or ability that you may not have considered that complements your list. (As a point of reference, by doing this, I was able to figure out how to beat that circle list by doing this, and was amazed at what I discovered)
D) Play Play Play! rack up experience. Play different people playing different armies. you don't necessarily need to eat sleep and shit Warmahordes (depending on your goals) but if you hope to do well, sitting on your ass reading Time Life Magazine is not going to pay dividends in victory (unless you plan on distracting your opponents with current events discussion).
E) If you're playing on a team, communicate with your membership. see what they're playing and what challenges they are prepared for and which ones are truly difficult for them. If you're not on a team, talk to other players about their lists and factions. Become knowledgeable in how they work. It gives you a distinct advantage.
Once you have this on deck...You're ready to start working! Eyes open kids, The Road to War begins here!
