Best of the best gathered at The Invitational
From left: Seppo (Geelot), Jaakko (Corpmake), Johannes (Forestpond), Antti (Rivarama) and me (Kujala). Photo by Doug
Team Finland joined both the Team event on Friday with 5 players and with 6 players on the actual event. Our team was truly the best players from Finland, at the time of writing this all Team event players are at top 6 in Finnish ranking with an average Elo of 1907 (probably was even higher when we entered the tournament)
Several pictures in this blogpost are by the awesome Doug Gordon, see more of his photos of the event here
NOTE: my most recent update (last games and conclusions) seem to not have been saved, darn. now re-written.
Preparations
Having the opportunity to join in a high prestige event like this is truly a privilege, so I would certainly prepare well to give my best in the event. This is not to say I would take a WAAC (win at any cost) attitude to the event, but honour all the great players by giving them a decent challenge! Anyway, meeting the community and many great people I know from online was the most important and most waited thing!
Painting
I would play The Brotherhood in both events. When they were announced, I started painting an army using miniatures from FireForge Games Northern Kingdom range. I had originally bought them to be used as Starks and Boltons for Song, but had only painted a unit of Dreadfort archers, so finally got proper use for them. Antti then bought 2 starter sets for BWB, so got the named characters from him and needed only to buy Heroes 1 to have everything I needed.
Beric
Knights
Catelyn
Beric's Honour Guard aka King's Men. I sculpted the Stag symbol away from their chests and free hand painted the stars and lighting for House Dondarrion
Playing
Started playing with Brotherhood already BEFORE they were released as I had the proxy miniatures and printed all the cards. So by the Invitationals I had played dozens of games with them, many of the against the top players in Finland, whom are tough opponents!
We had a 1 tournament in January, but as Brotherhood were not yet in Stats, I played there with Martells. Managed to win this one.
Getting there
We had booked flights for late Thursday, but then a strike started messing up schedules and raising stress levels. Our flights were cancelled and only fastest managed to book a morning flight directly to Manchester, me and Seppo got flights via London. Then that was cancelled too and eventually had to take a very early morning flight to Oslo(!) and a connection from there to Manchester.
Finally we landed in MAG and headed towards Stockport, where rest of Team were already in a pub!
First beer tasted very very good! (next ones were not bad either)
We checked the venue already on Thursday - awesome place (a bit rough from the outside).
We have nothing similar in Finland. Really shows, that UK is THE wargaming country!
Lovely to see ASOIAF presented so well! Our LFGS in Helsinki doesn't even sell the game
On Thursday evening he headed to downtown Manchester and just the place!
We also found Team Sweden and enjoyed some Korean food
FRIDAY- Team Tournament
I really liked the concept for the team tournament. Our team had played quite few practise games AND also planned, which players and armies should we choose against different meta lists.
Yato was a very nice opponent!
Yafo’s Skyreach bowmen made a daring outflank at the start of R2… at this point I was sure to win the game…
But the bastards survived (including 4 rolls of 6 for save) and a Cunning ploy saw Oberyn and Royal Guard March to their aid…
Suddenly my archers AND GCX were dead and my knights had to run for it… in the meanwhile Beric was unable to destroy slippery Sand Skirmishers…
I retreated to secure 2 objectives, but my knights died too fast and the game was over.
Luckily the rest of our Team managed victories over Greeks and we were doing fine!
Round 2. Game of Thrones vs. Mickey
I was both very pleased and at the same a bit terrified about the opportunity to play against Mickey aka Masarath. We've known one another for some years already, as I have visited Tourney Ground on several occasions, for example on episode 122. I don't play online (since Covid "ended"), so this was the first time I met the man F2F. I had my 7 activations Beric list against his 9 activations FF horde including 2 bears from Skinchangers, certainly a challenge in GoT game mode!
I was both very pleased and at the same a bit terrified about the opportunity to play against Mickey aka Masarath. We've known one another for some years already, as I have visited Tourney Ground on several occasions, for example on episode 122. I don't play online (since Covid "ended"), so this was the first time I met the man F2F. I had my 7 activations Beric list against his 9 activations FF horde including 2 bears from Skinchangers, certainly a challenge in GoT game mode!
Soon the horde pushed forward with two bears leading, but accurate fire from crossbows and a panic test had reduced one raider unit to 3 models standing, this gave Mickey a pause and he smartly moved them backwards, while Thenns pushed forward. I think he already noth Endless hordes on units too... Styr and his unit of Thenns secured the centre objective in Woods.
On the other flank Beric was chopping up bear meet for dinner...
Only way for me to win this match up was to kill several of FF units to stop them from scoring from so many objectives. My Knights were the first to deliver a killing blow as a unit of Raiders, that had been standing between two units of Thenns, was decimated - unfortunately they had Endless horde on them... in the meanwhile a bear and Thenns had charged my GCX but they did very little damages and my crossbows retreated, leaving the objective unfortunately. Beric finished the bear and was ready for some real action...
Beric killed another Raider unit, but Cave Dweller Savages got to grips with my archers and destroyed them. Knights killed one more depleted Raider unit, but one more marched to the field due to Endless Horde... There's too many!!!
The horde managed to both survive long enough and block / contest me from scoring on objectives...
So another defeat for me, but luckily once again rest of our Team pulled several victories and we proceeded to meet Germany at "top table". It was really nice to play against Mickey. He played very well indeed, learned a couple of things! He was also kind enough to give me positive feedback on my performance in the game.
Mickey made some short videos on each day, here's the one for Day 2.
Round 3. Winds of Winter vs. Failix
In the third round we faced Team Germany with top players like Larks and Big Guy. This was a tight game for me and Failix so I forgot to take any pictures. This picture is by Gordon.
Our game ended 7-5, as a minor victory for Failix.
Unfortunately this time the rest of the Team couldn't save us from losing to the awesome Team Germany, whom went on to win the whole Team Tournament
In the meanwhile Pasi (Ithmarog) had also arrived.
Despite the defeat our team was in very good spirits
Final standings
- Germany 1
- Poland
- Italy
- Sweden
- France
- USA
- Great Britain 2
- Greece
- Finland
- Germany 2
- Great Britain 1
- Netherlands
The The Invitationals Tournament - Saturday 4 games & Sunday 3 games
Saturday
After having lost all my games at the Team Tournament I was hungry for Victory... and very much looking forward to the main event
Round 1. Here we stand vs. Fenice (Fenice) from Italy
Facing a 9 activation FF "animals" list with Mag, I chose to play my 8 activation Catelyn list, it has good tech against such enemy: FF usually with with 4+, so my disrupting Peasants could really big them down - including Mag, while Catelyn's cards and abilities were really good for this match up (Vengeance in Blood, Lash out, Horrific Visage).
Game started with the Shadowcat being very annoying on my right flank, dancing around my Archers, but never charging - AND I didn't manage to kill it with 3 hits from a Varys token.
Mag made a big mistake by charging one of my Peasants and getting stuck there, being constantly weakened by Ghost.
In this game Catelyn in MAA and Tully Cav made the most work. Destruction started when Tully knights charged a Raiders unit, that had already taken some panic damage and finished them. I think they had Endless Horde and the Tullies proceeded to decimate them too a bit later (Price of failure helped securing 9 lance hits). Catelyn got of extra attacks with Vengeance as Mag was smashing my Peasants) and proceeded to kill at least the Boar and Varamyr.
With that the game was decided and it was easy for me to score from the Quadrants and from some more killing.
Crushing victory 10-2 and 21-0
Unfortunately no pictures from this game
Round 2. Game of Thrones vs. Wes (th3k1ng) from the US
On this game I decided to position myself on three objectives and let them Dothrakis start the violence, which I could then respond with Sentinel from Beric and with my two units of Knights.
Soon Beric KM were standing on centre objective facing right, with their flank protected by the stakes. One of my Knights was scoring from my left side objective and my peasants on the right objective. My second Knight unit was positioned between Beric and Peasants, ready to react to any aggression from the Targayens
Drogon was dancing around my Peasants, but never charged them... I don't know why...
Instead one of his Screamers charged my Knights in the centre, but the rest of the Targaryens didn't follow, so it was easy for me to swamp them with two units and destroy them.
Losing a unit lead to a situation, where I was happy to continue sitting on 3 objectives, while all remaining Targaryens huddled in one corner. Towards the end of the game I got the tempo and with the help of Assault Orders Beric and one of the Knights proceeded to charge and destroy both Drogon and Khal Drogo and his Bloodriders, netting me 21 killpoints and 11-3 Crushing victory.
Picture by Gordon
Round 3. DWDW vs. Keegan (KeLian) from France
After two quite easy victories it was time for tougher opponent and a Brotherhood mirror.I was facing 8 activation Jokin list with my 7 activations Beric list. Keegan is the 5th best rated player in France, so a tough opponent indeed!
I chose to play objectives and managed to take 2/3 objectives and keep them...
On round 4 of the game I was leading 5-3 and nobody had died... from my left to right my peasants were fighting his peasants (so absolutely nothing would happen), next to them my Knights were fighting his... I lost one unit of Knights in the game, probably this one. In the centre my commander was kicking his commander's ass, while being shot by Stormcrows, but probably healing from panic tests... and then my 2nd unit of Knights positioned to go after the stormcrows, facing his peasants on an objective.
I don't remember nothing dramatic happening in this game, we just grinded and I had a bit more healing and hence managed to outscore by the time ended, I think we managed at least 5 rounds. A tactical minor victory. Unfortunately no killpoints for me, nor many photos.
Round 4. Clash of Kings vs. Big Guy from Germany
After 3 rounds I was actually leading the tournament, which really surprised me!
So, as could be expected, my opponent was as tough as could be: Big Guy is the Nr. 1 rated player in the world ATM!
First couple of rounds were quite even, if I remember correctly my first loss was one of my Knight units vs. Victarion, while Beric sitting on the centre objectives with stakes. I was very pleased with the performance of my Peasants on the left flank, whom got a charge on Victarion and causing 5 wounds and caused Vic to retreat!! Vic then spend most of the game grinding with them, which I was more then happy with. One of my Knights were holding of Reapers and suffering quite badly against them.
Then things started to escalate... I realized I would lose the game if I didn't throw Beric into the fray...
But his initial charge on the pesky bowmen was a real disaster! He had "full kit on" (I was controlling Crown zone), but his charge on managed to cause 3 wounds!!! Not even contesting the objective!!! There must have been a weaken token, but I'm not sure...
When round 5. started, I wanted to deny Reapers from starting with Swords, because I needed my Knights to survive a while longer, so I retreated them backwards, which proved to be a fatal mistake... Big Guy instead attacked my Peasants, I think he also used Moqorro's once per game... so the Peasants died and Victarion Overran (I had forgotten he has that Order) into to the rear of my Knights, destroying them too! Bollocks! This scored 4 VP for him and practically ended the game, as the score jumped from 6-5 to 10-5. In the end I was proud of giving him a decent fight... I was also a bit relieved I did NOT end in the top 8 bracket.
Socializing on Saturday evening - ASOIAF QUIZZ by Carlo
We had great team of ASOIAF knowledge: me, Seppo, Antti and Oscar from Team Sweden.
Joakim from Team Sweden is obviously trying to eavesdrop on us...
These photos by Gordon
Sunday
Round 5. A Dance with Dragons vs. Gordon from Canada
Greyjoys truly are my nemesis faction... but luckily I had practised playing Dance with my Catelyn list, which was an obvious choice for the game; Catelyn in MAA, Brotherhood archers and Peasants are pretty good in holding the objectives...
I placed a palisade or stakes next to right flank objective and some hindering terrain in the middle.
I then deployed my archers to the far right - their job was to snatch the objective already on R1 and then "escape" using their order and also shoot into the flanks of enemies engaging my unit of Peasants deployed next to them -their job was to protect the archers by slowing the enemy sent to chase them.
Catelyn, with MAA, was deployed in the middle to grab the centre objective. Morale in Gordon's list was not so great (besides 2 auto pass cards). On my left flank I had placed stakes on the objective and deployed my other unit of Peasants facing it. I don't actually remember what my Tully Cav did in this match, except charging once to the flank of Ironmakers, not making a dramatic difference in the game...
Game started as I had planned: I grabbed all three objectives, leaving the initiative for the Gjs to engage, which they obviously had no problem to do...
Iron makers with Widower charged Catelyn, passed their panic test and mauled my MAA badly with critblow and sundering, taking the objective... Catelyn had to retreat. At this point I sure wished I'd have Ravella in this list too, as I did not have enough resources to heal her unit.Still I was scoring 2 VPs from objectives and Ironmakers with Widower, Gordie's most dangerous unit was now slowed down by the objective.
The other Ironmaker unit with Jokin then managed a 4+ charge (if I remember right) and caught up with Catelyn and finished her and the MAA. Ouch. I didn't expect to lose Catelyn so soon (R3 I think). IM then surged backwards not to take Tullies into their flank.
In the meanwhile Asha in Stormcrow mercs had reached my Peasants, but with 5+ to hit did not manage much of damage. My Archers took a position to shoot them in the flank and managed to kill them with couple of shots! They really were the MVP for this game.
No further units died from either of us and the game ended on R4, as we ran out of time. 7-4 standard victory for me in a very good game. Gordon was an awesome opponent - no wonder he was awarded the Best Sportmanship award.
We had some problems with Stats and the result had to be punched in manually by L33tteddy
Round 6. The Winds of Winter vs. Zofia (Callmesophie) from Poland
Already wrote this once, but the text got lost... kinda painful to write it again :-D
Ok, 2 Dragons - definitely a job for 2 units of Knights and Beric....
Did quite a typical start for this scenario by playing Objectives, Zofia might have blocked me from putting down stakes on the centre objective, not sure. Anyway, my Peasants took the left side objective, one of the knights the right one and Beric and the Other Knight unit were positioned to threaten or take the centre one. Outriders peppered my Peasants with shots, but I kept them mostly weakened, so it was not a problem. Dragons obviously were the real threat.
Got a lead early in the game, even if Drogon charged in aggressively and managed a first kill on one of the Knights. She had to pop Tycho to keep Drogon alive though. Rhaegal kept his distance, due to the threat poised by my knights and Beric.
Game was really intense...
I then got a jump on Dothraki Outriders with Beric and managed to destroy them, proceeding to charge Dany and Blackguard on the centre objective, passing his panic test (possibly with Azor ahai). Blackguard took a real bad mauling with two attacks from Beric and had to retreat with only 3 wounds remaining, zapped them from the Crowns, but only caused one more wound...
I think it was R4 or R5 and I was leading the game 6-5... so I stopped to check the game state, especially the missions, they were:
- remove tokens - I had one token on my unit and the same was true for Targaryens
- Engaged w. units with less ranks
We both has 1 NCU left and Bags and Letters were open. Selmy was influencing my Knighs...
So, I thought, let's keep neither of scoring from tokens and also wanted to deny healing from Blackguards, so I chose to take Bags and removed the only token on my units... this was my FIRST FUMBLE, guess which NCU Zofia had left? Yup, Mirri Maz Duur!!!! Bloody hell!!! So she placed two tokens on my unit and secured a VP from that.
Drogon in full health was sitting in front of Blackguards, protecting his "mother"... Zofia had not played neither of the Fire made flesh cards, so she certainly had at least one of them in her hand...
She was not controlling crowns, but she had more points on the table, so I decided to go after the Dragon and yes bloodthirst got over me too.
So first my Knights charged Drogon into the front - if Drogon would retaliate, Beric could Sentinel in and if Drogon would retreat, Beric could charge Dany and BG and finish them of... set up looked good...
Knights hit pretty well... and the FMF card came out and I made my SECOND PLUNDER and played Knights of Hollow Hill to cancel it... totally forgetting Selmy, and yes Selmy denied my card and Drogon only took like 2 wounds, damn!
So in went Beric (she obviously did not yet activate Drogon) and charged into the flank of the black lizard. Good amount of hits were scored again and only 6+ saves for Drogon... and of course she had the second FMF in her hand!! If I'd saved KOHH card for this, I would have been able to cancel this and probably kill the beast or at least reduce it to 1 or two wounds. Now Drogon still had 3 wounds left, counting as 3 ranks for the second mission and both of my units only had 2 ranks...
So with these terrible plunders I handed the victory to Zofia, as she scored 2 more VPs from the second mission. Darn!
Surprisingly I didn't terrible bad at that moment... it was a good game anyways.
7th Round: Honed and Ready vs. Flurpy Flurpy from Croatia
So another mirror Beric vs. Beric. Chose my Beric list as the Knights could weather the arrows from the walls as needed and in a mirror it's probably going to be quite a bit of grinding and whom can heal more probably wins.
We deployed quite diagonally. I had my Peasants and Beric on my left flank and Knights in the middle. I made plan to hold at least 3 objectives. Flurpy deployed his archers to far left (facing my right flank), then crossbows, knights and Beric. There was some terrain blocking the path between objectives on the right.
Taking positions
If I remember right I had the forgotten Fellowship early on and marched Beric straight ahead. This made Flurpy move his units quite cautiously forward - there is always the risk of Assault orders. This suited me fine! He even marched the archers on the objective on R1, which would have been a rookie mistake, but luckily they have the 3" manoeuvre...
As a result, on R2 I was able to secure both letf flank objectives and moved one of the knights to the centre objective. I think nobody controlled my right side objective. His knights charged my knights on the centre objective on the bog, not causing much damage. I retreated my knights, securing the objective and using his knights as a charge block against Beric. I certainly did not want to give Beric a Sentinel move. Ravella tokens were used to heal my knights in the centre and my peasants, who had taken some arrow damage from the walls.
Flurpy's archers had lost half their number to 2 salvos from the walls and understandably moved off the objective. Eventually I had to change my centre knights with the other knight unit and also replace the peasants with Knights to make sure no unit was destroyed - and no unit did, I didn't make practically much of any attacks in the game...
So, at the end of R5, I reached 10 VP and won a standard victory 10-7. Neither of us scored any kill points. It was a very friendly mirror between brothers, indeed.
Ceremonies and achievements
Event had a very nice prize support with beautiful gladius swords as trophies.
Carlo recapped on his vision for Stats and gave a nice farewell -kinda speech...
And was then thanked with a nice gladius and diploma. Master of ceremonies: Doug
Gordie (Gamme016) was awarded the Most Sporting Player - no surprise, having played with him!
I got the prize for best painted unit with my "Beric Honour Guard coming out of the woods". I'm very happy with the unit and was very pleased, that other players found it worth rewarding - thank you for voting!
Loot
The PEOPLE
Yes, I love gaming, but even bigger thing was to meet with all the people in person!
Me and Mickey (Masarath)
Me and Zofia (callmesophie)
Finnish team
Sunday dinner with Nordic and British players
Manchester
3 of us had our flights back on Monday evening, so we took the opportunity to do some sightseeing in Manchester. We also adopted Pierre (EulTchef) from Belgium, as his flight hand been moved
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