Looking at this year's Missions I find there are a few things blatantly obvious and some hidden issues.
I have thought my Ard Boyz list and its many iterations for a few months now but really didn't plan on finalizing it until the Missions were posted.
Lucky for me I don't need to change my list too much...
Mission 1 -
Pitched, Annihilation -
So this will either knock out all of the MSU MEQ and IG lists in the first round or have them all face-off in round 2 with Minor Losses.
Thanks Kirby! (Not you 3++, another Kirby, you know who you are)
NO SCOUT -
BIG issue for those armies that RELY on Scout...also negates the GK Servo-skulls ability. I guess we won't see alot of skulls on the board.
A BIG F-U to Wolf Scouts. At least they solved one of my problems with Space Wolves.
So IG, BA, GK, SW and whoever else is looking at the ALPHA-STRIKE, you should try looking at a different tactic this year.
TRAITOR -
Worth 5 KP
+1 Battle Point if you kill yours
+3 Battle Points if you get your controlled Traitor into the opponents' Deployment.
This poses a big issue for those armies that are not CC oriented. Yeah, you might have to kill that lone Guardsmen with 2 W and an invuln, but if he is hidden inside Draigo, Libby and 10 Paladins...you are not going to shoot him out. AND you are certainly not going to CC him out with your Vet squad...so IG you will be looking at a Major at best.
This also poses an issue for those armies that are ALL deepstriking, BA, Daemons, GK...Good luck with that.
TERRAIN CONTROL -
I guess this year they want you to put more Troops on the board...are they trying to make Ard Boyz 'BALANCED'??? It is only worth +1 Battle Point...
Also, it doesn't say that the Terrain Control can be CONTESTED. I am assuming it can be...but we all know what happens when you ASS U ME, right?
NIGHT FIGHT Turn 1 -
WHY? Oh that's right, ALPHA-STRIKE is screwed...
Mission 2 -
Spearhead, Seize -
Spearhead already poses issues for some armies. Compound this with the issues below and IG is screwed.
Again, TROOPS, they want to see more on the table-top.
NO SCOUT
NO INFILTRATE
NO OUTFLANK
See same issues as above, just compounded.
NIGHT FIGHT Turn 6 -
WHY? Oh that's right, IG is screwed....
KILL ALL HEAVY -
+1 Battle Point...give it up? I guess they want to see more HEAVY slots filled.
Mission 3 -
Dawn of War, Victory Points -
WTF? I guess this year NIGHT FIGHT is the NEW BLACK...
NO SCOUT
NO INFILTRATE
See same issues as above.
KILL ALL FAST -
+1 Battle Point...give it up? I guess they want to see more FAST ATTACK slots filled.
KILL ALL TROOPS -
+1 Battle Point...I see a Mission Tone here. TROOPS, TROOPS, TROOPS.
Result:
ARD BOYZ should be BALANCED?!?
So, from what I see...
My list needs to have lots of TROOPS, FAST, HEAVY.
I CANNOT rely on my list to OUTFLANK, INFILTRATE or SCOUT.
I need to start on the table or ALL reserve.
Hrrmmm, I CANNOT take a SW, IG, GK or BA list.
That leaves me with my DE, WH and Vanilla SM. If I had Nids or Orcs I'd take them.
I will probably see 3 rounds of Vulkan or Vect this year.
Maybe next year there will be a Painting req and Score as well as a List Comp...
I don't know about you or what you planned on running but you have less than 2 weeks to get your list up to speed and get 6 games in...2 for each mission.
GOOD LUCK!
Strong analysis.
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