Islandscape '09 Reflections

Well met!

First of all, I would like to thank all those who participated in organizing this event for their hard work and kindness, and to Grishnak and son for picking up Chas, Sherman and I at the LIRR station and making us feel so welcome. it was also nice for all of us to put some faces to those we otherwise know only from this forum.

[I fielded 2 x 10th, Kaemon, Krav, Kumiko and the Marro Warriors.]

I was fortunate not to encounter Taeblewalker, Onacara or Sherman (1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers, respectively), or things might not have gone as well for me as they did. I also did not contend with Rats or the "Steamroller".

This is not a Battle Report per se, as I am vague about details, but more of an impressionistic view of what happened, and the lessons learned.

My first opponent was the lad, Dylan, who fielded Parmenio, Sacred Band x 4, Kaemon and Isamu, on Highways. He scared the #$%^ out of me by charging his Kaemon practically into my lap and killing 2 Krav, but, after his Kaemon's demise, I felt in control (although the mere 75 point differential implies I have forgotten some important details).

Then it was Scott (Shrek, Jr.) and his Q-10, Isamu, Atlaga, 5 x Dividers horde. As is my wont, I overextended my Marro Warriors and, although I tried to save them by running and cloning, his Q-10 ran them down and wiped them out. Isamu, Atlaga, Q-10 and a number of dividers fell while I lost Kaemon, the Krav, Kumiko and maybe a few 10th (trying to hold the Uniue +1? to the Wound glyph?), but I felt in control, with height and good position for the 10th against the remaining Dividers. They charged across the naked plain towards me and, at first, things happened as one might expect. But then the Dividers began to, well, divide, again and again and again . . . Deja Zulu all over again for the poor 10th.

My third opponent, Joseph Sweeney, fielded Taelord, Omnicron Snipers x 2, Zetacron and 1 x Stingers. I was startled by the number of skulls generated by so few dice upon occasion, but I maintained good position and took out Taelord fairly early. This game went much like my first, I believe, with me feeling pretty well in control, but not gaining much in the way of point dominance.

My last opponent before the Final Round was CK. He came with Nilfeim, the Krav, Krug, Raelin and Isamu. This was a real war! He had Nilfeim on [wound, Unique +1] for a looooong time. I don't remember how I won, but I believe the result was in doubt until the very end. This was the only game in which I did not feel in relative control. CK kicks @&**!

At this point, the results were tallied to determine who would go on to the Final Round. Taeblewalker and Onacara were undefeated, so they fought for 1st and 2nd places. It was then determined that the rest of us would also play a Final Round to determine the rest of the places. The point total for the Final Round turned out to be 575, so I, of course, chose to take another squad of 10th.

My last battle of the afternoon was against Andrew Sweeney's Mimring, Syvarris, Isamu, Wolves x 3 army. Although Andrew was game, I managed to achieve my highest point dominance of the day.

[Apparantly, after reading Andrew's Battle Reports, the game with Andrew was not his last game. The order of my matches may be wrong, but the details, such as they are are correct, I think. However, in the event they are not, please feel free to correct me.]

So, with a little bit of luck (good in the seeding, bad against the #$%^ing Dividers), I came in 4th, at 4-1. In general, Kumiko was less than stellar, although she faced no Rats, and, upon reflection, I erred in not running her at the Dividers (although I forget why I didn't). Perhaps it was I who was less than stellar in fashioning a strategy for her. She could hold a glyph momentarily, but Thorgrim is a much better choice for that. It is hard to say how important the glyphs were. I sacrificed too many 10th to hold the Unique +1, and lost tons of 10th to the Wound glyph, but I don't know how that affected my final standing. At best, I might have come in 3rd. In any event, I went home with a SOTM Master Set, for which I was truly grateful, for, although I already possessed most of the figures (thanks to Chas), I had no terrain (other than that which came with the Wave 1 Romans and Orcs I purchased awhile back). Immediately upon returning home, I created a map and began preparing for next year!

David