KY Open Tournament Report DDM 07/29/2006

This is a report of the KY Open which was held on 07/29/2006 for DDM 1.0 at Warlords Unlimited in Richmond Ky. The link to the original thread is located here:

http://www.hordelings.com/forums/postView.php?post_id=7767&viewPage=0#7767


So today we held our KY Open in order to let those going to Gencon get some preparation in. Our more than generous shopkeep at Warlords Unlimited put up a case of WODQ and boosters for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th for the tourny, all for a FREE entry into the tourny. We also had donated alternate paint trophies made by Ken McCutchen of the Bluespawn Godslayer (1st), Blackscale Lizardfolk (2nd), and Tavern Brawler (3rd). For just showing up to play it was definatly worth the drive up.

We had 12 people and ended up cutting to top 8 after 4 rounds because we had 4th - 8th within only a few percentage points of each other. Had there been a clear cut top 4, we would have cut to it, but it was really very close.

I was unsure of what to run. We have a wacky metagame here in KY that follows it's own rules and most of what make up the National Meta I won't see here. I'm highly unlikely to see a GAS, Kordicopia, Quad Firebelcher, etc. here. I'm more likely to see some Cadaver Collector, CG, and LE Quads. Given that I was batting back and forth between SWarm (a band I know and love and have done well with here) and my new band of Triple LGD. Triple LGD has done well for me and Tuesday I went and playtested with a few locals to get ready for today and a shot at a free case of WODQ and the top prize in the Open. I tried SWarm out against a CC band, and got decimated. I then tried my Triple LGD out and it in turn proved to be alot better. So, not able to get past my SWarms demise at the hands of the CC and knowing I'd see a few others out there today, I went with the better matchup and ran Triple LGD. My warband was:

LGD x 3
Urthok
Dire Rat
Kobold Miner x 3
on Drow Outpost

The speed of the dragons make them great on outpost where they have room to flank and bottle hitters in on the bridge as well.

So first round I draw Troy. Troy is running Inspired Lt., DC x 2, AOH, Kobold Miner x 2, and Timber wolf. I could be wrong on a fodder or two. His map was Mushroom Cavern. He won map and we played on the Cavern. First round we have a war with the Kobolds that he wins and puts me at an activation shortage. I move up a dragon and misplace it a bit too far up as he bases it with a DC and the AOH. The other 2 dragons get in BW range and he moves up his other other DC and Inspired Lt. Next round I roll low for init and he rolls a 19. He goes with the DC and the AOH on the dragon thats based. He hits all his attacks and crits me which kills the dragon outright. After that it's the 2 dragons trying to get the 3 beaters and it just didn't happen. Losing a dragon at the beginning of the 2nd round was tough to overcome and I wasn't able to do it. 0-1

Second round and I knew if I was to make the cut I needed to run the gauntlet to ensure it. I get paired up with our Keith who's running his favorite CE Quad. Keith is running Eye of Gruumish, Orc Champ x 3, Orc Wardrummer, Quagoth Slave, and another fodder piece. We roll for map and I win so we go on the Outpost. I go with the Outpost side and first turn I move up my dragons to the bridge and he moves up his Orcs so they aren't too far out in the open of the cave. I win the next init and manage to get them in 2 BWs. He dishes out a little bit of damage, but misses on most of his attacks. I get off my other BW and do alot of damage to the group. He keeps missing some attacks on me as I clean up the Orcs. I don't think I lost one dragon before I was able to get the Eye gone and then route the remaining Champ. 1-1

Third match was against Ken McCutchen. Ken's a great guy to play and as one of the other players noted, playing Ken is always fun and no matter what point of the tournament it is, it's never a stressful game. Ken was running Urthok, BGB x 2, Snig and Sniglets, DC x 2, and TW on Dragondown Grotto. He won map init so we were playing on the Grotto. First turn we move out into the center. Second round I start off with a cone on the BGBs. They really don't like anything with a save. They failed both of them and then I swarmed one with some Kobolds. Kobolds can hit that AC 8. He brought both DCs down to hit one dragon and got some bad luck as only 1 hit. I managed to kill off one BGB that failed it's save and was attacked by the Kobolds. The other Dragon came over and used it's BW on the DCs. I got one to check and it ran. It wouldn't rally and would run off the board. To finish off the round his Urthok comes over and flanks with the BGB on one dragon. Next round, he starts off with a crit by the BGB to put that dragon at 5. Urthok then follows up by missing both his attacks to finish off the dragon. That dragon finished off the BGB. I then was able to finish off the other DC and move my 3rd dragon over to drop Urthok to half. Urthok failed his morale check and wouldn't rally. 2-1

Fourth match I knew I was on the bubble. I drew Tony Pitman (Visage) who was running CC, DC, Rakshasa, Snig + Sniglets, and Kobold Miner on Outpost. I ended up taking the Outpost side. First turn I move up so I'm at the Bridge with my 3 dragons but aren't by the pits so I can't get slid in. He moves up and comes just outside of the cave. Next turn he moves up and I'm able to burn a few activations until I can catch the CC, the DC, and the Rak in all 3 cones. He has some bad luck and I get everthing down pretty easily with the BWs. Next turn he a few times with the CC and I finish off the DC. The dragons then finish off the Duergar before moving onto the Rakshasa for the game. The BWs were huge as it got the CC and DC down to where I was able to finish them before they really got alot of attacks off. 3-1

At this point, the standings after 4 rounds were very close after top 3. There weren't many Opponent Win % points separating 4th - 8th. So the decision was made to cut to top 8.

My first round in top 8 was against Nathan McKinney. Nathan was running Sword Archon, Medium Silver Dragon x 2, Man at Arms x 4. I got my map and he sat up on the cave side. I realize at this point that the MSDs are Immune Acid. I'm thinking great, I could catch them in BWs and it'd do nothing. First round I come up to the bridge and he moves up to just outside the cave. He wins init and breathes cold with both MSDs catching 2 LGDs in both cones. They both make their saves. I then move up and start wailing on 1 MSD at a time with my dragons. The first one I get to half and he fails his morale. I then move back and base his Archon. His Archon takes the AOO and gets LOS to the MSD, but it's moot as he rolls a 1 on the MC. I then start on the other MSD and wear him down. Round after that I get rid of the MSD and it's 3 slightly wounded dragons VS the Sword Archon. I get 2 dragons basing him with the other within melee reach 2. Next round he wins init and can kill 1 dragon who's at 10 or hit the 3rd dragon who was at 65 and get him to check. He goes for the one at 65 and he makes his MC. The one with 10 moves up and hits the Archon to drop him to 40hps. That gives flanking to both of the other Dragons. My 2nd dragon activates, hit, hit, and CRIT to kill the Archon for game. 4-1

Second round of single elimination was against Mike Wise. Mike's a good player who was out of the tourny scene for awhile due to school but has started coming out again since WODQ. He was running Rakshasa, DC x 2, Zakya, HH, TW, and 2 Goblin Skirmishers. We play on Outpost. Dance for the first turn. Second round I start my BW and make alot out of them. I drop one DC down to 30, the Zakya to 5, and the HH to 35. Should be clean up after that I figure. Well after that, it went wrong. I missed alot of attacks after that and took wayyy too long to finish off pieces. At the end I had several chances to win it by killing off the last DC who was at 10 and his HH. I missed at least 7 out of 9 attacks on them. Meanwhile Mike wasn't missing me back and got the dragons before they could finish off the HH. Final record 4-2

So I finished 4-2 and ended up 3rd. I got my prize booster for coming in 3rd and pulled an Aspect of Tiamat and a Cadaver Collector. I also netted a sweet Tavern Brawler alternate paint that Ken painted. It was a great tournament and was not only really well ran, but something I encourage everyone who can to come out for next time we have them.