Las Vegas Open: The Revitalizing of My Hobby

This is a draft I never finished, but felt like finishing my edit pass and posting since my blog has been so void of content lately. I'm going to add comments as I read this in italics.

I had the lucky opportunity to participate in the Las Vegas Open 2015. My expectations were quickly meet; as I hadn't played enough recently to expect to be competitive. I wanted a fun weekend with a good friend and the privilege to roll some dice versus some quality opponents. I signed up for the Friday team tournament and Saturday's steamroller. I only brought two lists and stuck with them throughout the weekend.

List 1:

Borka Kegslayer

-Pyg Keg Carrier

-Dire Troll Mauler

Fell Caller Hero

Fennblade Kithkar

Trollkin Champion Hero

Viktor Pendrake

Krielstone (full)

-Stone Scribe Elder

Trollkin Fennblades (full)

-UA

Trollkin Warders (full)

Trollkin Champions

-Skaldi Bonehammer

I loved this list. When I go back to trolls I plan on trying to tweak and improve upon it. One of the more enjoyable casters in the game to play.

List 2: Evolutionary Elementalism Tier 3

Calandra

-Trollkin Runeshaper

-Pyre Troll

-Pyre Troll

-Slag Troll

-Storm Troll

-Winter Troll

Janissa Stonetide

Krielstone Bearer

-Elder

Trollkin Runeshapers

Trollkin Runeshapers

Trollkin Warders (full)

Trollkin Warders (full)

Interesting how this wasn't my super comfortable list for the weekend. But EE blew up right after this when Jay won a tournament with his heavy slag variant. Obviously much different then my version. Which now is pretty defunct based on the new errata. Not to argue either way on errata but the warders  were in the list for the heavy hitting.

I don't have a great memory of the Friday games unfortunately. I'll just go over the highlights I can remember. I went 4 and 1 for the day.

• Borka's feat suprises people that Trolls have a speed boost feat. Caught a few players by suprise with threat 11 warders and threat 10' 1/2" champions.
• Most people don't even try to go after Borka via assassination, allowing me to play very aggressive with him.
• I need to learn when there are good mosh pit opportunities. I usually use the fury to fill the stone and cast the rage animus.
• I need to be a lot more aggressive with Borka vs. Haley2. Throw Borka at her with Ironflesh and surrounded by infantry, not try and out scenario her. Big fail moment when I lost against Jay from Chain Attack.
• Calandra's list performed very well in the one match up I dropped it against. I wasn't positive what the list was a counter vs. just that I liked how it felt, very versatile. This is a constant theme into Saturday.

Saturday I was very happy with how my lists performed and had some great matches! I went 5-1 for the day.

• Game 1: Was against a Convergence player who decided to drop Syntherion vs. me. I dropped my Borka list. Caught him by surprise with my feat and smashed into most of his army having taken little damage. Champions destroyed his colossal with a few rages thrown on them. Game ended relatively quickly.
• Game 2: Bradigus tier list. I have never played vs. Bradigus and was caught off guard by a few tricks. Very interesting list. I dropped Borka again. In the future I should've dropped Calandra, I think it would've been a much better match up for me. I ended up getting out attritioned and lost. If I was forced into another Borka match up I would definitely make sure he can't feat and get to my Mauler, as the rage animus was key in the match up.
• Game 3: I don't remember this game. Though I remember it was one of my Calandra matches.
• Game 4: I went up vs. Rasheth tier list: Chain Gang. This was a real blood bath. I got alpha very hard by my opponent who executed it really well. Borka earned the MVP by taking 3 of the titans and 2 gators himself. Lessons learned:Stagger my infantry more so I can't lose too much to Bronzeback's beat back animus. The game ended in epic fashion as Rasheth fired off a nuke on my Keg Carrier who toughed allowing him to contest my opponent who ended with 4 control points instead of 5. The next turn Borka killed Rasheth with only the Keg Carrier and a Agonizer as the only other models on the table.
• Game 5: I went up against Mike Puryear. I dropped Calandra and had a real slug fest vs his Harbinger  list. Most of the game was a slow slug fest of Mike trying to chew threw my Warders and beasts with Errants and Bastions. Runeshapers and Pyre trolls were the main MVPs. A special note was a fully loaded Reckoner charging a Lighting Troll and getting disrupted.
• Game 6: I played vs. an Irusk. Borka absored - This looks like there I had stopped writing. I know I won this game due to his struggling vs. Troll armor.

While this title feels misleading it is true. I did paint and play a lot more trolls in the 2015 year. Very enjoyable time with the faction as opposed to last year. 2016 is going to be the year of Retribution for me. I usually pick a faction to focus on every year to prevent me from getting too distracted and actually get some painting done.