NOVA Open (Saturday)

Day 1 of the 40k GT.

Round 1: Pitched Battle, Objectives, Kill Points, Table Quarters.
Cory Morris, Space Marines

Lysander
Pedro Kantor (using Pedros rules)
6 Assault Terminators w/6 Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield
Land Raider Crusader
7 Sternguard w/Combi-Melta, Power Fist
Rhino
7 Sternguard w/Combi-Melta, Power Fist
Rhino
10 Tactical Marines w/Meltagun, Missile Launcher, Powerfist
Rhino
10 Tactical Marines w/Flamer, Lascannon, Powerfist
Predator w/Heavy Bolter Sponsons
Predator w/Lascannon Sponsons

I opened the game by immobilizing the Land Raider Crusader. My scouting Melta-Valkyrie unit destroyed the lascannon Predator early. In effect, I removed a significant portion of his firepower and his assault ability. Cory kept the terminators inside the crusader for about 3 turns too long. (they should have disembarked and pressured me immediately)

Since I did not have to deal with the terminators right away, I was able to remove 3 of 4 of Corey's scoring units. I then easily took the objectives (even with pedro, lysander, et al in my backfield)

Round 2: Spearhead, Table Quarters, Objectives, Kill Points.
Blaine Toups, Space Wolves (Iron Warriors "counts as")

Rune Priest w/Jaws of the World Wolf, Stormcaller
Rune Priest w/Boltgun, Jaws of the World Wolf, Living Lightning
10 Wolf Guard (broken down as follows)
-2 w/Terminator Armor, Cyclone Missile Launcher, Storm Bolter, Chainfist
-2 w/Terminator Armor, Storm Bolter, Power Fist
-1 w/Terminator Armor, Combi-Flamer, Power Weapon
-1 w/ Terminator Armor, Storm Bolter, Power Weapon
-1 w/Combi-Melta, Powerfist
-2 w/Combi-melta, Bolt Pistol
-1 w/Combi-Plasma, Bolt Pistol
Dreadnought w/2 Twin-Linked Autocannons
Dreadnought w/2 Twin-Linked Autocannons
8 Grey Hunters w/Meltagun, Power Weapon, Wolf Standard
Rhino
5 Grey Hunters w/Plasma Gun
Razorback w/Lascannon, Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
5 Grey Hunters w/Meltagun
Razorback w/Lascannon, Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
5 Grey Hunters w/Meltagun
Razorback w/Lascannon, Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
Land Speeder w/Multi-melta, Heavy Flamer
Land Speeder w/Multi-melta, Heavy Flamer
6 Long Fangs w/4 Missile Launchers, Lascannon
Predator w/Heavy Bolter Sponsons
Predator w/Heavy Bolter Sponsons

So, on paper, Blaine's army looks pretty terrifying in the firepower department. We set up across from each other looking to start a firepower duel. I went first, and spent two turns blowing him off the table and crippling his firepower (via suppression mostly). The game was pretty close until about turn 4 when I got some key rolls and managed to destroy some very high value units in Blaine's deployment zone. I won by 3 quarters to 1.

Round 3: Dawn of War, Kill Points, Table Quarters, Objectives.
Charles "Chuck" Pierce, Blood Angels, "Razorspam"

Librarian w/Shield of Sanguinius, The Sanguine Sword
2 Sanguinary Priests
5 Assault Marines w/Meltagun, Infernus Pistol
Razorback w/Twin-Linked Heavy Flamer
5 Assault Marines w/Meltagun, Infernus Pistol
Razorback w/Twin-Linked Heavy Flamer
5 Assault Marines w/Meltagun, Infernus Pistol
Razorback w/Twin-Linked Heavy Flamer
5 Assault Marines w/Meltagun, Infernus Pistol
Razorback w/Twin-Linked Heavy Flamer
5 Assault Marines w/Meltagun
Razorback w/Lascannon & Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
5 Assault Marines w/Meltagun
Razorback w/Lascannon & Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
Land Speeder w/Multi-Melta, Heavy Flamer
Land Speeder w/Multi-Melta, Heavy Flamer
2 Land Speeders w/2 Typhoon Missile Launchers
5 Devastators w/4 Missile Launchers
Razorback w/Lascannon & Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
5 Devastators w/4 Missile Launchers
Razorback w/Lascannon & Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
5 Devastators w/4 Missile Launchers

Well, holy shit firepower. So, I went first. Long story short, Chuck had a ton of kill points and so did I. My Manticores and Vendettas killed off the Lascannon Razors , and since they were close to the Devastators, I could always hit a few with the barrages. BA Devs, without sergeant need a pin test on Ld 7 when they take a Manticore casualty. It was very effective. My Multi-Lasers, Heavy Bolters, and Autocannons obliterated the lithe speeders that came my way.

This game was not close. I got almost 10 KP's off of vehicles alone. Once Chucks Infantry was disembarked in his deployment zone, the game was effectively over. I do not recall what the final tally was, but it was a little lopsided.

Round 4: Spearhead, Objectives, Table Quarters, Kill Points.
Craig Barnes, Space Wolves, "Loganwing"

Logan Grimnar
Njal Stormcaller
Dreadnought w/Multi-Melta
Dreadnought w/Multi-Melta
10 Wolf Guard (All in Terminator Armor, broken down as follows)
-1 w/Powerfist, Powerfist
-1 w/Storm Bolter, Wolf Claw, Cyclone Missile Launcher
-1 w/Storm Bolter, Power Weapon, Cyclone Missile Launcher
-1 w/Wolf Claw, Wolf Claw
-2 w/Power Weapon, Storm Bolter
-2 w/Storm Bolter, Chainfist
-1 w/Storm Bolter, Wolf Claw
-1 w/Storm Shield, Wolf Claw
5 Wolf Guard (All in Terminator Armor, broken down as follows)
-1 w/Storm Bolter, Wolf Claw, Cyclone Missile Launcher
-1 w/Power Weapon, Storm Bolter
-1 w/Storm Bolter, Chainfist
-2 w/Storm Bolter, Wolf Claw
5 Wolf Guard (All in Terminator Armor, broken down as follows)
-1 w/Power Weapon, Storm Bolter, Cyclone Missile Launcer
-1 w/Storm Bolter, Chainfist
-1 w/Power Weapon, Storm Bolter
-1 w/Storm Bolter, Powerfist
-1 w/Storm Bolter, Wolf Claw
6 Long Fangs w/5 Missile Launchers
6 Long Fangs w/5 Missile Launchers

Craig deployed first, 5 man squads near the forward edges of his zone, covered by dreadnoughts, big squad w/Njal and Logan near the rear.
So, I deployed in a spearhead, giving all but my demolisher cover (I was not too worried about front Multi-Melta or Missile Hits) I reserved both meltavet squads, my conscripts, platoon command, and special weapons team.

Craig only had 3 scoring units, so I focused on killing the two 5-man squads. Easier said than done as Craig made a TON of saves. He did make a mistake, detaching Njal from the big terminator squad in a ruin near my board edge (so he could get LoS to the Manticores)
My Meltavets rolled on and smoked him.

At the end of 5 turns, I had one terminator squad down to just the cyclone (on the objective on his side of the table near my deployment zone and the other 5-man squad down to two people on the center objective. Logan and Friends held the objective near by board edge. (I assaulted them off of one as they were spread across both.) I moved my conscripts to claim the objective in my deployment zone, moved a Chimera to contest the one held by logan and friends, moved my company command to contest the one held by the lone terminator and moved an infantry squad to contest the center. Sadly, the game went to turn 6...

Logans squad wiped the Chimera. The lone terminator smoked the command squad.
The two terminators charged my Infantry Squad. The Infantry killed a terminator before it could strike (no grenades) the survivor only did one wound, which I put on the autocannon, Drawn combat!
The 15 minute time was called, meaning I would have my turn, then the game would end.

The lone terminator that had killed the command squad was on top of the ruin and now visible to my immobilized, one weapon left each, vendettas. Two twin-linked lascannons gunned him down. I had been slowly march-stringing my conscripts closer to that objective. a great run roll (5) put me well within 3 inches of the objective. Now it is 2-1 me with a two scoring units fighting on the center.
The terminator swung and killed a guardsman. I retaliate, doing only one wound, and the terminator fails his save. Victory for the Infantry Squad, they claim the third objective giving me a 3-1 win.
This game was an incredible game, mostly because it was so close for so long.

Summary: At the end of day 1, I am 4-0. This qualifies me as one of 16 "Tournament Aces" and puts me in the top bracket (Top 16) of Day 2. The competition tomorrow will be fierce to say the least.

-Mike