First and foremost, I would like to thank all the people who could attend the tournament today. I believe everyone had a great time and I'm going to miss you guys. I've had a great 4 month vacation, and I won't forget the Tuesday nights at the Bunker or the Saturday afternoons at Galleria. I'll be back this December to wage war in the name of Khorne (and/or Gork (or Mork)) once again, but until then, I hope you guys have a great time on and off the gaming tables.
But most of all, I'd like to thank my dad for hosting the tournament. It was really nice of him to organize this get together. I'm truly blessed.
Anyways, about today, I had to face three Space Wolf Armies. I had the honor to play against Henri, Ronald, and Jeff in that order. All three of them played very differently, with Henri's Skyclaw Lord, Ronald's Drop Pod Wolves, and Jay's elite Thunderwolf Cavalry, it almost felt like I had played against very distinct armies (although Grey Hunters were presented en masse in all incarnations).
Arvin made amazing missions, not to mention the mission and army composition stipulations that challenged people to use units that were not commonly used and focus more on troops. I even had to use Chaos Spawn just to get a Fast Attack choice in (yes aren't really worth anything, they were really just there to die).
The games were all great, all tons of fun, and learning experiences all!
I got lucky. Everyone had a good time, it was an awesome day.
I don't have all the results with me, but here's my take on my experiences in tonight's tournament:
Kharnogar had battled Space Wolves as an aspiring champion in the past, but he had not anticipated such a high concentration of them in a single sector. The Space Wolves gave his warhost much trouble in their advance, but he cared not. His warrior's pride gave him much satisfaction in facing warriors of such ferocity and savagery, and his face twisted into what passed for a grin amongst his kind. Khorne had granted him a vision a month before, a vision that almost drove him mad with anticipation. He had been tasked by the Blood God himself to defeat a foe that almost matched them in savagery, and he intended to deliver lest the Flesh Hounds are set loose upon him.
They had battled long and hard, but the prize his warband had sought was within reach. They had defeated the Space Wolves that came in with jump troops, and were pushed back when their drop pods made planetfall, but now they saw the Wolf that stood out amidst the pack: The Alpha Wolf has taken to the field.
The battlefield was strewn with craters left as footprints of the Imperium's orbital bombardment. Kharnogar held his Siegebreakers back, knowing full well that after they battered the earth, the pack would move in for the kill.
He knew his men well, for they had been together for millenia. His berserkers stood at the hill overlooking what would become the bloodiest field in the sector, shuddering with barely controlled rage, stomping on the ground or grinding their chain weapons against skulls taken from earlier battles. If the wolves didn't show up, he knew it wouldn't be long before his own men's blood rage would get the best of them and they'd be killing each other. He had almost wished they would so that he would have a reason to start the killing as well, but he fought back the sensation, knowing full well that the Blood God was watching.
Then, as the smoke from the bombardment cleared, he saw them. Charging forward without any sign of a strategy or formation, the Sons of Russ barreled toward the Siegebreaker's line. A figure riding the biggest wolf Kharnogar had ever seen let loose a howl that would have shaken him to his very soul had he still had one. The maddening howl was joined by several others. The Wolves have taken to the field.
Not to be outdone, he let loose the warcry that has been a prelude to every battle, every victory, every slaughter. Kharnogar raised his twin chainswords into the air and screamed, "BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!" He was joined by his men as they met the Wolves charging downhill. In a matter of moments however, the battle cries were eventually overpowered by the sounds of buzzing chainsaws and the bark of bolter fire.
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Kharnogar's retinue had been broken and bled. The lesser demons were banished by the Fenrisian elite, and his own berserkers were cut down by this warrior without peer. He threw his demons and his men at the jaws of the wolf, and when he saw their pathetic inability to slay him, he threw himself at the creature, knowing that it was only who could finally down the warrior.
He raised a battle cry and charged with both blades held in arms outstretched, each step bringing him closer to the slaughter. The Wolf Lord had just torn the heart out of a berserker when he noticed the Chaos Lord tearing his way across the battlefield to get to him. The warriors met each other's gaze and the Wolf Lord howled as he kicked his wolf into a counter charge.
Kharnogar swung at the Wolf Lord, who blocked and almost disarmed him with a strike from his storm shield. A claw came down at him and tore his shoulder pad off, but the Champion of the Blood God was undaunted. Using the weight of the blow against him, he batted his chainsword against the claw and tore the wolf lord off his mount, which attempted to pounce on him but was greeted by a chainsword swing to the throat, ending the giant wolf's service to his master.
The Wolf Lord howled with rage, bearing his fangs and charging with such fury it felt as the area shuddered with each step. Kharnogar mirrored his adversary, raising his voice and meeting his claws with his blades. Every blow that connected seemed to cause the atmosphere to shatter, each wound inflicted seemed to portent the end of all things. The warriors battled as if their gods were watching, both redefining the very meaning of fury.
Kharnogar's every strike was countered and met with an almost eerily opposite reaction, and he could not help but feel that they were both reveling in the exchanges. Suddenly, the wolf throws his shield at him, an unexpected but imaginable move on the Khorne Lord's part, and knocks one his chainswords away, leaving him to face the wolf with a single blade. He understood the message: There would be no more parrying, no more blocking, for now only killing blows were a welcome contribution.
They stared each other down for what seemed like an eternity, and when the psychological tension had cleared, each prepared to deal a killing blow. The Wolf Lord raised a claw, attempting to slash down at Kharnogar and take his head off with a clean swipe. Seeing this coming, the Chaos Lord brought his sword down at the wolf's claw arm, slicing it clean off. The Wolf Lord howled with rage, giving his enemy the opportunity to deliver a death blow. Gripping the chainsword with both hands, Kharnogar swung the blade with such force that when it met with the wolf's neck it came clean off.
He gave a silent praise to Khorne as he picked up the wolf lord's head, part of him taking pity that he would never again cross paths with such a worthy a foe. But that did not matter, for there were still many more wolves to kill. With much haste, he rejoined his warhost in routing the rest of the wolves, recovering his lost chainsword and adding a new trophy to his collection. They could not stay long; the Siegebreakers of Medrenngard had a galaxy to bleed.
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Thanks for all the great games guys! See you on the gaming tables!
-Lance
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