The Road to Adepticon 2014: The Coteaz Conundrum

This year I've made the monumental (financially speaking) decision to attend Adepticon this coming April.  This isn't my first time attending the iconic event, as I made the pilgrimage 2 years ago.  The sheer magnitude of the cost to attend this tournament certainly doesn't make this an easy decision to make.  With tickets running about $75 for the weekend badge and the 40k Championship, round-trip airfare running around , $300 from California, and rooms that cost $125 a night you are looking at eating a ton of ramen just to afford this thing.  Cost aside, this is THE tournament to attend if you are a 40k tournament gamer and want to test your metal against the best players in the country.  I believe there are 270-ish players in the Championship, with only 16 moving on to day 2.   The organizers do a good job making other events available after the championships, so when you get the inevitable loss in round one you can look forward to a busy weekend afterwards.

My biggest mistake the first time I went was signing up for too many events, sharing a room with too many people, and drinking my body weight in alcoholic beverages.     Seeing as how I've effectively stopped drinking any kind of alcohol (THANKS, OBAMA LIVER) that takes care of the expensive drunkenness.  As for the room situation, that is almost unavoidable.  I will be at the tournament for at total of 5 nights.  That will be around $550 just for the hotel alone.  I CANT AFFORD THAT SHIT!  So teaming up with 4 or five guys to crash on the floor is mandatory.  As for the events, I only plan on signing up for the Championships and then a couple of smaller events spread throughout the weekend.  I will be socializing a lot more this time around.

OK, so what the fuck is the title of this post going on about?  Well, I had just about finalized my 1850 list for Adepticon when, as usual, a nagging thought came to me (as it do).  Here is the original list I was set on taking,

Space Marines (Iron Hands)

Chapter Master - Terminator Armor, Shield Eternal, Thunder Hammer, Auspex
Tactical Squad- +5, Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun, Rhino
Tactical Squad- +5, Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun, Rhino
Scout Squad - Melta Bomb
Terminator Assault Squad- 4x Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield, Land Raider Crusader w/Multi-Melta
Land Speeder x2 - Typhoon Missile Launchers
Land Speeder - Multi-Melta, Heavy Flamer
Storm Talon - Sky Hammer Missiles
Devastator Squad - +3, Missile Launchers
Thunderfire Cannon
Whirlwind

A slight variant from the list that I took to Brawl in the Fall.

Then I got to reading Captain Dees' (Nutz) Feast of Blades tournament reports.  He had seized the initiative twice and that had either earned him an outright victory or made it extremely easy for him to defeat his opponent.  You hear about this all the time and it is certainly one of the most frustrating aspects of 40k 6th edition.  I also noticed an increase in Space Marine drop pod lists under review on various forums around the internetz.  I began musing on an old ally idea I had for Inquisitor Coteaz from the Grey Knights Codex.  With Coteaz you get the peace of mind that comes with his special rule Spy Network which causes your opponent to re-roll successful Seizes.   You also get the incredibly useful against drop pod spam special rule, I've Been Expecting You.  Of course, you have to take a troop choice with Coteaz, and here is where another of his special rules become gold.   Inquisitor Coteaz makes any Henchmen Squads troop choices.  So by adding Coteaz to my list not only do I get solid Seize and Drop Pod protection I also get another troop choice.

 FUCK'IN TITS N' SHIT

 So how would I load out the Henchmen Squad?  I would start with 3 plasma cannon armed Servitors.  Coteaz will have the psychic power Presience, so the ability to twin-link 3 plasma cannons is fan-fucking-tastic.  Remember, his rule I've Been Expecting You makes his unit able shoot at any unit that arrives within 12" of him.  This means that any unit dis-embarking from a drop pod and the drop pod itself are fair game for 3 twin-linked plasma cannons.  DEAL BREAKER.  I would also take 2 Crusaders to get a couple of 3++ saves and round out the unit with 3 or 4 Henchmen with hot-shot lasguns.  I would be giving up all three Land Speeders to get the points for this unit but I think they add so much to my list that it is totally worth it.  This also means the Iron Hands Chapter Tactics might not be the best since I would be getting rid of 3 vehicles so I'll be spending some time trying out the other ones.

So what do you guys think?  Is this a good replacement?  Will this assuage my fears of getting Raped Seized upon?  Am I getting too fat?

Whither a Grey Knight? FUCK YEAH

This weekend a local FLGS, Game Kastle, is hosting a 1750 point tournament.  Seeing as how I am currently working on no less than 4 armies, choosing an army to build was unsurprisingly difficult.  At the 11^th hour I decided on Grey Knights because hey, why not?  I’m a list builder, as in I spend my free time watching television with numerous codices surrounding me furiously writing and re-writing lists.  One list that I created recently was a pure Grey Knight codex that I believe has the tools to take on the gamut of powerful builds that I am likely to see at a tournament.  It has all of the qualities I look for when writing a list, and much like my sex life, is hard hitting and in your face! *(Don’t tell that one to my girlfriend)*

Before going into detail, THE LIST

Lord Kaldor Draigo –Duke of Cheese, King of Pain

Lord Draigo do what he do.  Makes the Paladins troop choices, overall bad-ass, you know the drill.  I like to use the Grand Strategy making d3 units Scouts, moving him and the Paladins closer as well as the Dreadknight.

Inquisitor Coteaz – ‘Re-Roll that, Please’

Everyone's favorite auto-include.  Give you Divination spells and a fun I've Been Expecting You attack.  Also, his Psyber-Eagle rocks way too much ass.  He also basically guarantees you wont get seized on which makes deployment a lot less stressful.

Paladin Squad (6) 2x Psycannon, Apothecary, Brobanner, Psybolt Ammo – Draigo’s Extra Wound Squad

2 wound terminators with Feel No Pain, 3 Base Attacks (Bro Banner), Psychic Bad ASSES. 8 twin linked strength 7 rending shots (that should be re-rolled with Coteaz' Prescience. These guys go to 11 with Draigo and Coteaz. 

Paladin Squad (1) Incinerator/Twin Linked – ‘Did I just deep strike onto your table quarter? LOL’

Late game grabber of objectives that's also the bane of hiding troop squads on said objectives.

Strike Squad (5) 3x Halberd, Psycannon, Psybolt Ammo – Warp Quakers

I like these little squads.  They can hold their own if drawn into combat (6 Init 6 power weapons attacks on the charge) but really shouldn't be getting into combat.  Decent shooting when sitting still (8 Strength 5 AP 5 shots and 4 Rending Strength 7 AP 4 shots).  When I go to 1850 these guys go to 10.

Storm Raven with Multi-Melta and Twin-Linked Lascannons, Extra Armor – Boom goes to Croissant

I have the model, 'nuff said.  One of the best fliers in the game, if on the expensive side.  The twin linked Lascannon and Multi-Melta will make short work of enemy fliers and enemy armor.

Dread Knight with Heavy Incinerator, Great Sword – DIE GARGOYLES, DIIEEEE

If I had the points I would give this guy the personal teleporter, but with Draigo's Grand Strategy handing out Scout and the threat range of the Heavy Incinerator, I can live without it.  2+ armor save with a toughness of 6 makes the dude hard to take down.  I like the Great Sword, with the ability to re-roll hits and wounds.

Vindicare Assassin – *Head Shot*

A guy that can literally take down anything, and with the recent FAQs making his shots un-look out bro-able, the Vindicare assassin is looking really good.  I plan on putting him on the quad gun, which will benefit from his precision shot.  If he intercepts with the quad gun, he can shoot his rifle during his turn.

Bastion with Quad Gun

Armor 14 is nothing to sneeze at and makes for a terrific firing platform for the Vindicare Assassin.  Some people say the Bastion cannot be target by the enemy, as it is unoccupied so is not an enemy unit.  I would subscribe to this newsletter, but cooler heads say that it CAN be targeted.  I'm sure there will be arguments for and against at some point.

So there it is.  The Vindicare sits on top of the bastion manning the quad gun.  If he uses the quad gun to intercept, he shoots his rifle from his VERY generous vantage point from the top of the bastion, which BTW, cannot be targeted by enemy attack as it is technically unoccupied.  Draigo and Coteaz do what they do, Storm Raven poop on you, and Dread Knight (hopefully with Scout from Draigo) gets me first blood.  Lone Paladin hopefully drops in late game and flames someone for the lols.  Big Paladin Squad rolls with Draigo/Coteaz and Strike Squad sits on an objective and unleashes warp quake.  Small and fierce, just like your mom likes it. 

Let me know what you think.  I’ll post Saturday night or Sunday morning with the results.