Playing a dead game

by Chambers

Ever since the second round of 'Ard Boyz (oh how I hate the intentional butchering of language, but another rant for another day) I have been feeling burnt out on 40k.
That is not to say that I didn't have a great time, I did. I ended up shy of third place by five battle points with 23, 01, and 24 points respectively. More importantly I did not have a bad opponent nor did I have to face a Leaf Blower list.
The guys at Capital city games run a very nice operation. I fully intend to head back over there for one of their regular 40k tournaments. The place is clean, open, fully stocked and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable what more could a player ask for? Just not right now, and when I do I will bring my Necrons. After gearing up for the all competitive feel of 'Ard Boyz the last thing that I want to do right now is optimize a list or crush the guy standing across the table from me. Both of which are things that I felt that you had to do in order to be successful in the tournaments.

So enough emo mopping what is the upswing? The local game store has started up a Dogs of War league. For the unaware “Dogs of War” is/was the first expansion for Confrontation 3.5. Confrontation was a skirmish game pitting two war-bands against each other each with between 5 and 20 models apiece. Rather than the “you go, I go” style of 40k confrontation operates on “alternating activations”. This is accomplished through a system of reference cards and the management of said cards. What you end up with is a very dynamic game that is both tactical and narrative. Dogs of War takes this even further by introducing war-bands that start approximately 1/3 the size of traditional war-bands and grow from there using experience gained in the games. To relate it back to 40k, dogs of war is the Necromunda expansion for Confrontation 3.5.

So what makes Confrontation so much different that I am rereading the rule book cover to cover and dusting off my little lead men? First it has to be the models, before they went pre-painted plastic Rackham had some of the best sculpted ranges around. This made the travesty which is their current line all the worse. Secondly the alternating activation mechanic means that there is almost no down time during the game, it just doesn't take that long to move one to three miniatures a few centimeters across the board. Coupled with the low model count the rules are very prone to luck as there are comparatively few dice rolls, any of which can drastically swing the game. This last point in my opinion serves two functions, first it keeps all players involved in the game. Secondly I find it hard to categorize a game were a pair of sixes or a one will win you the game as competitive. As a result I don't see this as a win at all cost game but more about telling a narrative which has been much more my speed lately.

Am I giving up 40k? Not a chance, just taking a (very) short break to cleanse my palate before starting a new army.

Here is the list that I have been running lately, a classic mid-nor hoard list. There is not a lot of trickery in this list just lots of cheap bodies coupled up with the resurrection and healing abilities from the collector and the two worms.
Unlimited AP - Dwarves of Mid-Nor Army

1 Araqusalil the Skinner (2nd) @ 60 aP
1 Mid-Nor Gallows Bearer @ 12 aP
1 Organist of Mid-Nor @ 12 aP

1 Collector of Mid-Nor @ 30 aP (Resurrection of the Possessed; The Despot's Eviscerators)
1 Resurrection of the Possessed

2 Chthonian Larve @ 108 aP

3 Warrior of the Abyss @ 30 aP (Personal Guard)

3 Scourge Bearer @ 54 aP (The Scourges of Mid-Nor)

3 Scourge Bearer @ 54 aP (The Scourges of Mid-Nor)

3 Halberdier of Mid-Nor @ 24 aP

2 Halberdier of Mid-Nor @ 16 aP

Total Army Cost: 400
Total Cards: 8