The 40KEGGER III

Yesterday I played at the 40kegger III at Bronx Park Community Centre, here in Winnipeg, Manitoba. As J.P. and Greg's website indicates, the 40kegger is

"a fully structured tournament with unique beer-themed missions that take players through a full day of intense 40k action."

The addition of kegs of Half Pints Brewing Company beer is a very welcome addition to the proceedings. Participants' entry fees are put back into the event, for prize support, venue rental, the purchase of beer and food, and associated expenses.

The 8 tables were 4' square. Participants were allowed only 1,000 point armies from a single force org, and with only 1 H.Q.

My 40Kegger III Army List

HQ: Autarch (1#, 93 pts)
1 Autarch, 93 pts = (base cost 70 + Banshee Mask 3 + Power Weapon 10 + Fusion Gun 10)

Troops: Dire Avengers (6#, 175 pts)
5 Dire Avengers, 60 pts = 5 * 12
1 Wave Serpent, 115 pts = (base cost 90) + TL Scatter Lasers 25

Troops: Dire Avengers (6#, 175 pts)
5 Dire Avengers, 60 pts = 5 * 12
1 Wave Serpent, 115 pts = (base cost 90) + TL Scatter Lasers 25

Elite: Fire Dragons (6#, 190 pts)
5 Fire Dragons, 80 pts = 5 * 16
1 Wave Serpent, 110 pts = (base cost 90 + Spirit Stones 10) + TL Shuriken Cannons 10

Fast Attack: Hornet (IA) (1#, 95 pts)
1 Hornet (IA), 95 pts = (base cost 55) + Scatter Laser x1 10 + Pulse Laser x1 30

Heavy Support: Warp Hunter (IA) (1#, 125 pts)
1 Warp Hunter (IA), 125 pts

Heavy Support: Wraithlord (1#, 140 pts)
1 Wraithlord, 140 pts = (base cost 90 + Wraithsword 10) + Bright Lance 40

Total Roster Cost: 993 points

Here are some of the armies on display yesterday:

ARMY SHOWCASE

Charles' Crimson Fists...



...led by Pedro Cantor:



Fabio's Orks:



Sean's Chaos Undivided:



Suzanne's Nurgle Chaos:





Chris' Tyranids:



MikeM's Imperial Guard:





Chad's Tau:





Collin's Thousand Sons:



Jeremy's Imperial Guard:



Keith's Imperial Guard:



My mechanized Eldar Swordwind (someone remarked, "Look at all those tanks!")...



...led by a Howling Banshee styled Autarch:



TOURNAMENT SCORING

Rather than scoring points in a variety of categories, the 40kegger uses only one form of scoring: Mission Points (MPs). In the first 2 rounds of games, players tally as many Mission Points as they can in an attempt to make the playoffs. Once in the playoffs, the qualifying players will eliminate each other through 2 rounds of missions. The last man standing is the winner of the 40kegger. The tournament is similar to a sports tournament with round robins, semi-finals, and a grand finale.


GAME ONE: Beer Run

Objective: Six beer barrels were placed randomly across the table by both players. The players got Mission Points each turn, one MP per turn for EACH barrel of beer that they had in their possession, calculated at the start of their opponent's turn. Only one barrel could be carried by any unit that had hands or claws. Models carrying barrels could not shoot, and would drop the barrel if involved in close combat.

Opponent: Sean's Chaos Undivided
Chaos Lord w/ Mark of Khorne and Daemon Weapon
7 Khorne Berzerkers, riding in a Rhino
9 Chaos Space Marines w/ 2 Melta Guns, riding in a Rhino
7 Thousand Sons, led by a Sorceror, riding in a Rhino
Chaos Defiler walker

The Eldar won the initial roll so I decided to go first and chose the southwest table quarter to set up in. I deployed everything, leaving nothing in reserve.



Two units were able to be in or near contact with a couple of barrels.



Sean set up the Chaos forces in the northeast quarter, with the Thousand Sons in contact with a barrel.



In the first turn, the Eldar advanced forwards. Two squads dismounted towards the centre, behind the cover of their tank hulls. The Autarch seized one barrel, and a squad of Avengers seized another. To the south, the Avenger squad already holding a barrel embarked on their transport, and the Wraithlord picked up a fourth beer keg.

For the Eldar, this was the most hazardous position in the game. They had to survive a turn of fire before they could zip up under tank armour and withdraw south to play keep-away.

Fortunately, despite losing three Fire Dragons to Chaos fire, no units were destroyed or broken.



The Autarch embarked back into her transport as the surviving Fire Dragons advanced towards the K-Sons. Concentrated Eldar firepower wiped out the Thousand Sons and killed all but one of the Chaos Space Marines.



The lone Chaos Space Marine then grabbed a barrel, and made it into cover, where he hunkered down until Turn 5...



The Defiler shot down a Dire Avenger squad's Wave Serpent transport. The Avengers extricated themselves from the wreck...



...and joined in a general withdrawal to the southeast.



The Wraithlord never fired; it would have had to drop its barrel to do so, and that would have cost valuable Mission Points over the course of the whole tournament.

The last Chaos Space Marine died and the Hornet managed to get into the rear arc of the Defiler, destroying it with concentrated laser fire. This ended the Chaos forces' chances of doing anything further of note.



The game ended after the end of the fifth turn. Each barrel held also generated a random number of bonus MPs. The final score was Eldar (20+11)=31 MPs, Chaos Undivided=5 MPs.

Result: Eldar Win


GAME TWO: Pass 'er Around

Objective: This was a species of Annihilation, with each side scoring a variable amount of MPs, depending upon the point value of each unit lost; the more the unit was worth in points, the more MPs it would garner (IIRC 1-49=1MP, 2-99=3MPs, 100-199=5MPs, 200+=7MPs). It was also assumed that each side's HQ had tapped the beer barrels seized in the previous scenario, and were subject to random alcohol-related advantages and disadvantages. For example, the Eldar Autarch gained "Furious Charge" at the expense of being always treated as if moving in Difficult Terrain.

Opponent: Sam's Tyranids
Tervigon
Zoenthrope
Zoenthrope
Venomthrope
20 Hormagaunts w/ poison sacks
3 Ripper Swarm stands
3 Shrikes
20 Gargoyles w/ poison sacks
Trygon

Both sides were required to set up their HQ and up to two Troops choices. The Tervigon, Ripper Swarm and Hormagaunts set up first, in the northern half of the table. The Eldar set up the two Dire Avenger squads and the Autarch, embarked in the former's Wave Serpents, behind a building in the southwest corner.

The Tervigon rolled (1+1+3) to birth only 5 new Termagaunts, rolling doubles, straining something and thus unable to birth any more for the rest of the game. As the game continued, the initial Tyranids moved south, and a pair of Zoenthropes moved into the northwest and northeast quarters.

In response, Eldar forces forces moved onto the table, with the Fire Dragons moving straight for the Tervigon. The new Termagaunt brood was wiped out.



The Dragons disembarked and helped blow the Tervigon away.



The Shrikes, Gargoyles and Venomthrope came on from reserve. Also, the Tervigon regenerated and came on from the northern board edge. This was a scenario special rule; each side's HQ was so juiced up that they were immune from normally mortal wounds!



Next turn, Eldar fire killed the Venomthrope and and the westernmost Zoenthrope.



The Trygon Deep Struck to the west. Gargoyles swarmed all over the Wraithlord, killing it with their venom. This bunched them up deep in the southern half of the table...



...whereupon concentrated fire whittled down their numbers. Note the position of the Hornet, used to capstone the Warp Hunter from the Trygon.



The Trygon destroyed the Hornet. The Shrikes moved forward but they and the Gargoyles were wiped out by Eldar fire.



In the final turn, the Fire Dragons finally went down to the Hormagaunts, and the second Zoenthrope was blown away by tank fire.

The final score was Eldar=24 MPs, Tyranids=13 MPs.

Result: Eldar Win

(I had scored the highest in Mission Points of the four players in Group 3, so I would face off against the winner of Group 1 in the Playoffs in Game Three.)


GAME THREE: Barrels of the Warp

Objective: Whichever side had control of the most objectives at the end of the game would win. The objectives were represented by barrels of magical beer, which suffered from random Daemonic effects such as movement or causing damage to Psykers. To control an objective, any friendly unit had to be within 3" of an objective, with no enemy units present; you couldn't pick them up. The game woiuld last only 6 turns.

Opponent: MikeK's Dark Eldar
(IIRC)
Archon w/ Agoniser
10 Wyches w/ Haywire Grenades riding in a Raider w/ Flickerfield
5 Kabalite Warriors w/ Blaster, riding a Venom w/ Splinter Cannon
5 Kabalite Warriors w/ Blaster, riding a Venom w/ Splinter Cannon
4 Beastmasters, leading 5 Khymerae and 3 Clawed Fiends
Ravager w/ Flickerfield
Ravager w/ Flickerfield
Talos Pain Engine

The Eldar won the initial roll, choosing to go second. This is crucial for any such objective control game.

Neither side set up anything on the heavily wooded table, not wishing to suffer needless fire, and to see what the other side would do.

As the game finally heated up in Turn 2, the Talos moved into the northeast quarter, and the two Kabalite squads and a Ravager moved flat out onto the table, gaining cover saves. In response, for the Eldar everything except the Warp Hunter showed up...



...shooting down all three of the Dark Eldar skimmers.



The Wyches (with the Archon) and the Beastmasters arrived from reserve. Dark Eldar fire knocked out the Hornet.



The Warp Hunter arrived from reserve. Fire from that and other tanks wiped out the westernmost Kabalite Warriors.



To the east, Eldar fire killed the remaining Kabalite Warriors. The second Ravager arrived from reserve and Stunned a Dire Avenger Wave Serpent.



The Talos went after the Stunned Serpent, destroying it and taking away a chunk of the Eldar mobility.



The Autarch and the Fire Dragons detroyed the Talos Pain Engine, and tank fire knocked out the remaining Ravager. To the west, the Wyches' Raider can be seen to be immobilized beside an objective.



In the sixth turn, the Dark Eldar made a series of bold moves, moving the Beastmaster pack to control three objectives that had moved into close proximity, immobilizing the Warp Hunter with the Wyches's Haywire Grenades, and killing off the Wraithlord with the Archon. The Dark Eldar thus held 5 objectives, and the Eldar held only 1 - the game seemed lost!

As Conscript BrianH says, though, "Never tell me the odds!"

In a real "Hail Mary" move the remaining Dire Avengers tank shocked the Beastmasters and their pack. The Beastmasters failed their morale, and they routed away from the 3 objectives they had held, leaving the Serpent in control of two of them.



The Fire Dragon's empty Wave Serpent moved flat out to take control of another objective, leaving the Eldar in control of a total of 4 objectives.



The final score was Eldar=4 MPs, Dark Eldar=2 MPs.

Result: Eldar Win

(With that win I made the Finals. I was tired after only the second game but, ironically, my desire to rest was spoiled by my success.

Due to my previous scores, I was granted choice of table. I was to face Jeremy's Guard, with which he had just tabled Fabio's entire Ork force. Against such a gun line army, I chose the wooded table that I had just played on, with all its LOS blocking terrain.)


GAME FOUR: The End

Below is a family portrait of three of the players yesterday, from L-R Suzanne, her husband Chris, and their son Jeremy (who I was about to face).



Opponent: Jeremy's Imperial Guard
Company Command Squad w/ Regimental Standard, Vox Caster, Medi-pack, and Plasma Gun
Platoon:
- Platoon Command Squad w/ Sniper
- Infantry Squad w/ Grenade Launcher and Vox Caster
- Infantry Squad w/ Sniper, Vox Caster and Heavy Bolter
- Heavy Weapons Squad w/ 3 Lascannons
Platoon:
- Platoon Command Squad w/ Power Weapon, Plasma Pistol and Vox Caster
- Infantry Squad w/ Bolt Pistol, Grenade Launcher, and Vox Caster
- Infantry Squad w/ Bolt Pistol, Power Weapon, Flamer, and Vox Caster
- Heavy Weapon Squad w/ 3 Autocannons
Veteran Squad w/ Vox Caster, Grenade Launcher, and Missile Launcher, riding in a Chimera APC
Basilisk self-propelled gun

That's 77 infantry models and two tanks in 1,000 points. Awesome!

Objective: Straight up Victory Points game, with Dawn of War deployment. The game would last 6 turns.

The Eldar won the initial roll, so I decided to go second, to see what the Guard deployment would be. The photo above also shows Jeremy's forces deployed, in a long line across the southern table edge, anchoring their west flank with the Basilisk.

I declined to set up at all, in order to deny my opponent two turns' worth of shooting.

The look on Jeremy's face upon seeing my "reserves denial" ploy? Priceless.

The Guard stayed in place. For the Eldar, all but the Wraithlord arrived from reserves at the bottom of the second turn. I moved the vehicles such that they all obtained hull down positions or were masked by terrain entirely from anti-tank fire. A barrage and other tank fire wiped out the Veteran Squad formerly standing behind the Chimera. The Hornet, in the northwest corner, suppressed the Basilisk.



Guard return fire was totally ineffective, despite the issuing of "Bring it Down" orders by their Company CO.

In the third turn the Eldar made their big move, in a general advance to the south. The Fire Dragons and Autarch in their Wave Serpent moved flat out to just in front of the two Guard Heavy Weapon Squads set up by the knocked out Rhino. This move helped capstone an Avenger Serpent and the Warp Hunter following it up the centre of the table. To the east another Dire Avenger Serpent moved towards the infantry and the Chimera. To the west the Hornet moved forward to bring all its guns to bear.

The resulting fire phase saw most of the Company Command Squad and a couple of Heavy Weapon teams killed, and the Basilisk was suppressed again.



In the fourth turn, the Guard had to stop the Eldar tanks, otherwise their position would become untenable. Unfortunately, Jeremy's dice failed him.

At the bottom of the fourth turn, to the east some Dire Avengers dismounted and put fire into the infantry in front of them. Their Wave Serpent tank shocked another squad off the table. In the centre, the Autarch and the Dragons dismounted, in preparation for a charge. Their Serpent shot down the Guard Company Commander. Other tank fire wiped out the Lascannon Squad.

In the subsequent Close Combat phase, the Autarch and Dragons multi-charged the Autocannon Squad and an Infantry Squad. Suprisingly, the Eldar lost the combat, but their morale held.

The Autarch, used to fruity drinks with umbrellas in them, was obviously unable to hold her beer!



At the top of the fifth turn a Platoon Command Squad joined the figures locked in combat, killing a couple of Dragons. However, the Autarch finally remembered how to use her sword and pistol and killed three Guardsmen, winning the combat and routing off the Heavy Weapon Squad and the Infantry Squad. The Autarch and a couple of surviving Fire Dragons then piled in to the Platoon Command Squad.



At the bottom of the fifth turn, the surviving Avengers embarked and moved to the flank of the Chimera. The Warp Hunter moved up to support the Autarch with close range template fire. The Chimera and the Basilisk were knocked out by tank fire. All the Guard infantry to the east were destroyed. Most of the infantry to the west were also destroyed. In close combat the Autarch wiped out the Platoon Command Squad.

In the photo below, the remnants of the Guard Heavy Weapon Squad and the Infantry Squad can be seen about to rout off the table, escorted by the Autarch and the surviving Fire Dragons. The only active unit the Imperial Guard had left on the table was the reduced squad of four lonely Guardsmen at the bottom of the picture, who had no anti-tank weapons...




Result: Eldar Win

TOURNAMENT RESULTS

Below, the white board illustrates the results of all the games. MikeM won the B side, Jeremy came in second place as a result of playing in the finals, and I was fortunate to pull off the tournament win.



Below is the grand prize, a beautiful, large beer stein.



Thanks to J.P, Greg and all those who helped run or support the event, and thanks to all my opponents, for a great day of gaming!

Edited to add: Further info and photos may be found on the 40kegger blog, here.