Nova Open 2012: The good, the bad, and the meta change....

By Spaguatyrine

THE META

I will say I believe the 6th meta has been established for me.  I know some say there isn't a meta out right now, that it is too new.  I disagree for a few reasons.

The top tables which I played on the entire weekend had similar patterns. 
#1 The patterns where either Necrons with flyers/wraiths/annihilation barges/spiders etc.
#2 All scoring/denial units such as daemons, all foot armies such as SW, GK, Guard, etc.
#3 Had large numbers of flying vehicles and or creatures

Now there were a few that were combinations of the above patters and a few mech armies such as mine that did ok.  But with the missions the way they were run, and trying to fit in table quarters made patterns 1 thru 3 above the top competitors. 

I also believe a meta is forming as a defense against the nasty flyers.  This is accomplished by....

Ignoring them as much as possible buy not having high value targets that they can come on and just destroy.  When you have zero vehicle, who cares about that strength 10 line? Yes it can kill a few models, but whatever.  This was the same meta I used against heavy anti tank the last few years with my space wolves and thunderwolf combo.  You have 26 meltaguns and 8 lascannons? Good for you, kill y 3 rhino's and everything else doesn't really care. 

What this has the potential to do in my opinion is to split players one way or the other even more than a balance.  I.E. if I don't really like flyers I just don't take vehicles and your flyers to a lot less and my stuff scores and contests better.  If I really like flyers, buy more so I can play like wood elves in fantasy and annoy the other player until I win by dropping my unit on your objective on my last turn for the win. 

Either way for me the meta is forming in a way that I am determined to find an army that I love to play that can scrap with the stupidly good new daemons or the necron wraiths. 

This is how I fared in the GT. Better than last year actually..

So this is how I did:  5 and 1 with my only loss to Daemons and Nick (Again-Jerk!)

1	Tony Kopach		0		WINNER		100.687		0.000		0.997
2		Nick Nanavati		0		100.790		0.584		1.582
3		Jeremy Veysseire		0		100.644		0.000		0.996
4		Kurt Clauss		0		100.575		0.269		1.265
5		Kyle Cox		0		84.088		0.625		1.458
6		Ryan Deane		0		83.957		0.000		0.831
7		Neil Gilstrap		0		83.913		0.391		1.221
8		Aaron Aleong		0		83.892		0.553		1.384
9		Logan Valentine		0		83.814		0.000		0.830
10		Eric Hoerger		0		67.372		0.699		1.366
11		Bill Souza		0		67.336		0.556		1.223
12		Jeremy Chamblee		0		67.332		0.000		0.667
13		Andy Kopach		0		67.330		0.000		0.667
14		Richard Therkorn		0		67.292		0.567		1.233
15		Pierre Daze		0		67.251		0.584		1.250
16		Nicholas Caruso		0		67.206		0.000		0.665

8th place isn't bad.  Not in the top 5 I was hoping to be but I am glad I was a part of the event.  In the invitational I went to 9th place with 2 disappointing losses to Necrons and Daemons again. Hanz!!!!!

Tony Kopach	11111	100.578933	0	0.99583102	1
Nick Nanavati	1111	80.763619	0.584375	1.38401479	2
Brad Townsend	10111	80.5372952	0.596875	1.39427396	3
Nate Stevens	11011	80.5214857	0.671875	1.46911743	4
Alex Fennell	11110	80.5190476	0.765625	1.56284329	5
Neil Gilstrap	11101	80.4325714	0.398125	1.19448709	6
Andrew Gonyo	10110	60.63	0.72125	1.32154703	7
Bill Souza	11010	60.6070095	0.5625	1.1625694	8
Aaron Aleong	1101	60.5782095	0.571875	1.17165925	9

Now the rating of the event:

THE GOOD

The venue was amazing as before but better with cellular reception and food outside the gaming area.  The 5 hour energies and other sponsors made the event even better. I only went to McDonald's twice this year. 

The format was good.  Even though I enjoyed the games spread out I kind of liked the format last year a little better. The only reason I say this was that there were times when I was just sitting watching friends play instead doing anything. 

The staff was awesome!  (Except that one guy!)  They were helpful and fun to be around (Except him).  Mike was everywhere and then......no where when I needed him most!!!! :)  Great Job to Mike and his team for a great event.  Rulings where fair and even with a new rule set I believe your team outperformed my expectations.....except...never mind.

The missions were average bordering on good.  The only issue I have is what I stated previously is that table quarters doesn't fit in 6th edition.  Then I get there and with the meta change I see if I am going to play with table quarters at GT's then I will have to adapt and overcome.

The terrain was good mostly.  Much better last year for great firing lanes. The terrain was beautiful and well spaced out.  Some of the middle pieces were tough to deal with.  My two daemon games, the daemon players were able to drop behind walls that hid a bloodthirster and then were able to jump over and decimate me.  This is not a complaint because I should have deployed better, but being able to hide half the army behind that center was tough for me.  Still I believe the terrain was a great improvement!   

THE BAD

The lunch man. I went to buy a salad and a drink as the sign said $12.  I went to pay and he said it's $15. I went back to look at the sign and realized I had to get a water or soda for the $12 price. He then tells me $13.  I explain that the sign says $12. He says that isn't for me.  I re-explain the sign says "Cash" and he says I need a ticket.  I then comment then why have a sign that says cash but has a different price than what it really cost?  He just stares at me.  I smile and tell him he can keep his water and pay him $10 for the salad which wasn't on the sign either. 

That guy.  I think I have beat that horse enough already.

I think free massages should be provided for all 40k players that names start with an A.

In conclusion a great event that I want to come to again.  I wish it was closer but will probably shell out the money to visit again.  Mike Brandt you truly have built an event that is a great foundation for smaller organizers such as myself and HIVE FLEET INDY to emulate.

Thanks!