Well seems as though the Dark Horse mentality is spreading. Maybe not so much in the way of people making crazy lists and using them in competitive play but now we have something MOM has had on their podcast way back in December/January, Gencon Hardcore Army Swap. What is happening is a bunch of the well known players in the convention community are pooling their lists together and swapping armies with each other. Not so much are we building a list and handing it to someone else but everyone who is involved is writing a list for Gencon Hardcore and then before we all turn in our lists we are all gathering around and putting all our names in a hat, I will be bringing the hat, then drawing names out of the hat. The name someone draws is the person’s list they are using for the entire tournament. Why is this such a big deal, well lets first take a look at what Hardcore is for Gencon:
Close Quarter Scenario every round
37 minutes per person deathclock
1 list
Awards-Vanquisher (last undefeated player), Executioner (most army points destroyed throughout the tournament), Mage Hunter (quickest caster/lock kill during the course of the tournament), Master Craftsman (best painted army)
So with all this in mind one must see the part of the humor in this idea, no matter what you draw you must learn that one list, you don’t have 2 lists to choose from and then get to pick the one with the familiar models and play that one. You will have to learn and master one list very quickly if you want to win one of the awards, though if someone wins Master Craftsman while using someone else’s army then they must give credit where it is due. The funniest thing about this whole thing is you have people that have placed/won conventions, even had their pictures/names in No Quarter and they are still doing this. This is funny and serious in a way. Funny in that it is a bunch of people getting together and having a good time, a good time playing things they normally wouldn’t get to play and serious in that it is showing that you can be a great player and still show that winning isn’t the most important thing. People remember both the players that do well and are good sports. But the ones that are remembered the most are the ones that are a combination of both. Losing is something none of us like, but if I lose to someone that was a blast to play and just outplayed me then I felt it was a well worth game. I can remember losing to Phat Asian in Adepticon. Him and I have talked about that game many times and it has even been brought up that I could’ve won because he had to roll out 2 attacks and damage rolls in 8 seconds in deathclock. I paused the time after the first attack and told him what the last model needed to roll to hit and what the damage roll needed to be to win. Not saying that he couldn’t have won without this but I didn’t want to win by him deathclocking himself, especially when he out played me during the game. We also had a great time laughing throughout the entire game. It is this type of thing we are all looking for with this army swap. If someone is playing someone else’s army we obviously don’t know what we are doing, granted there will be mistakes but more fun than anything. Another great idea of this was back when Matt O’Reily and Jason Watt both swapped armies for Diecon Hardcore, this has now prompted Watt to start painting his own Menoth army.
If you want to join the movement come to the Muse Forums and talk about who your swapping with. We would love it if other groups did the same thing !! After that we will put our names on the respective lists and go play. But keep this in mind, no dropping out of Hardcore just because you are losing, also we all know accidents happen, don’t worry about dropping models as we know the risks of what can happen. Hopefully we will be drawing names by 10:15 and ready to go. Well that is enough ADD ranting, here are the current lists and names:
Charlie Foster (Other Chuck, my arch enemy)
Harbinger +5
Reckoner 8
Avatar 11
Vessel of Judgement 9
4 Choir of Menoth 2
10 Exemplar Errants with Officer and Standard 10
Visigoth Rhoven and Honor Guard 4
Gorman 2
Rhupert 2
Covenant 2
Vassal Mechanik 1
Vassal of Menoth 2
Vassal of Menoth 2
Total: 50/55
Keith Christianson (argh, me matey)
Prime Deneghra +5
Deathjack 12
Nightwretch 4
Skarlock 2
Bosun Grogspar 2
Doc Killingsworth 2
First Mate Hawk 2
Lord Rockbottom 2
Master Gunner MacNaile 2
Ogrun Bokur 3
Pistol Wraith 3
10 Press Gangers 6
10 Sea Dogs with Mr. Walls and 3 Riflemaen 13
Warwitch Siren 2
Total: 50/55
Jason Flanzer-Tier 4 P.Doomy
Prime Doomshaper +7
Mauler 9
Earthborn 10
Mulg 12
Axer 6
Janissa Stonetide 3
6 Krielstone Bearers with Scribe Elder 5
Runeshapers (1) 3
Runeshapers (1) 3
Runeshapers (1) 3
Runeshapers (1) 3
Total: 50/61-Requirements (Janissa, at least 2 units of Runeshapers, 2 heavy warbeasts), Benefits (Krielstone Bearer begins with one fury per Runeshaper unit and/or solo, for every 2 units of Runebearers deploy one wall, add 2″ to deployment zone)
Jason Watt (Lord Tyrant Watt)
Prime Morghoul +7
Bronzeback Titan 10
Bronzeback Titan 10
Titan Gladiator 8
Titan Sentry 9
Basilisk Krea 4
Cyclops Shaman 5
Cyclops Brute 5
Orin Midwinter 2
4 Paingiver Beast Handlers 2
4 Paingiver Beast Handlers 2
Total: 50/57
Jake VanMeter-Tier 4 E.Vayl
Epic Vayl +6
Angelius (1) 8
Angelius (1) 8
Harrier 2
Ravagore (1) 9
Ravagore (1) 9
Scythean (1) 8
10 Legionnaires 6
Shepard 1
Shepard 1
6 Spawning Vessel 3
Spell Martyr 1
Total: 50/61-Requirements (3 warbeasts with flight, 3 heavy warbeasts, 1 spawning vessel), Benefits (non-character solos gain advance deployment, +1 to starting roll, warbeasts with flight gain +2SPD first turn)
Matt O’Reily-Coven Tier 3
Witch Coven +5
Deathjack 12
Reaper 7
Stalker 4
Deathripper 4
Skarlock 2
5 Soulhunters 9
3 Soulhunters 6
Darragh Wrathe 4
Withershadow 5
Warwitch Siren 2
Total: 50/55-Requirements (Withershadow, Darragh Wrathe), Benefits (redeploy one model/unit, Soulhunters each begin the game with one soul tokens
Phat Asian-Jon DeMaris
Epic Feora +6
Reckoner 8
Vanquisher 8
Vanquisher 8
Redeemer 6
10 Zealots with Officer 8
Vassal of Menoth 2
Vassal of Menoth 2
4 Choir of Menoth 2
Aiyana and Holt 4
Epic Eiyriss 3
Covenant of Menoth 2
Reclaimer 2
Vassal Mechanic 1
Total: 50/56
Chad Shonkwiler
Epic Madrak +5
Bomber 10
Impaler 5
Runebearer 2
Fell Caller 3
6 Krielstone Bearers with Scribe Elder 5
10 Nyss Hunters 10
10 Burrowers 6
Swamp Gobbers 1
Champion Hero 3
10 Fennblades with Officer and Standard 10
Total: 50/55
Nick Crumpton
Cassius +6
Gorax 4
Warpwolf Stalker 10
Woldwarden 9
4 Bone Grinders 2
Slaughterhousers 6
Slaughterhousers 6
Saxon 2
Shifting Stones with Officer 3
Shifting Stones 2
Swamp Gobbers 1
6 Tharn Ravagers with Chieftain 11
Total: 50/56
Ben “Chunky” Hayes
Epic Hexeris +6
Basilisk Drake 4
Bronzeback Titan 10
Cyclops Shaman 5
Molik Karn 11
Tiberion 11
Titan Gladiator 8
Agonizer 2
Feralgeist 1
4 Paingiver Beast Handlers 2
4 Paingiver Beast handlers 2
Total; 50/56
Chuck Elswick
Testament of Menoth +6
Fire of Salvation 9
Avatar of Menoth 11
4 Choir of Menoth 2
5 Exemplar Vengers 11
Gravus 5
10 Idrian Skirmishers with Chieftain and Guide 13
Vassal Mechanik 1
Vassal Mechanik 1
Vassal of Menoth 2
3 Wracks 1
Total: 50/56
Late Entry (Phatasian Edit)
Will Pagani
Conquest
Kovnik Jozef Grigorovich
This is going to be amazing! I can hardly wait to see what ends up happening!
Sounds like a ton of fun. I better be seeing epic battle reports after the dust has settled!