Why even bother playing in tournaments?
Is that your army? Remixing your list.
Preparing for the big day. Tournament “Training”.
Dealing With Surly Players.
Playing the games themselves. Intelligence gathering.
What to do about composition?
Post Game wrap-up. Analyzing the results.
Bonus Content: Playing In A Doubles Tournament
Without telling you what to do, Fritz sets you up with getting the right mindset for tournament games. The list building section is a good example. The basic philosophy is that you can either build an all comers list or a specialist army. For the most part, the Tau are a specialist army with our strengths lying in moving and shooting. Fritz points out that with a specialist army you have to be 100% on top of your game. Mistakes can lead to horrendous failures. I must say that is my experience with the Tau so the advice given there is very pertinent.
Preparation is key and Fritz lays out a pretty method of getting to know your army intimately and getting more out of it without spending 100 plus hours rolling dice at the club.
The most important section of this PDF is the section on dealing with surly players. If you've played in tournaments you know what he's talking about. Some of you may have been that surly player. I know I have. He gives concrete advice on how you should react, on how you should behave. After all, you are the only one responsible for your actions, why not make them the best they can be. Fritz's attitude and demeanor are a model for 40k players all around. I think he's learned this way of being at the tabletop from eastern philosophy that he's picked up in martial arts training.
While there are some areas I would have liked him to have expanded on upon, like providing sample tournament lists and how they function, or even giving some sample tournament mission and explaining the thinking behind them, I was pleased with my purchase and I recommend it to anyone interested in placing or winning tournaments. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down.
My tournament list is changing for March Maddness here with the Inner Circle. Fritz has gotten pumped me up for tournaments. If you're interested in getting this PDF, here it is: http://saimhann.blogspot.com/2010/01/win-40k-tournaments-pdf.html
8 comments:
I like Fritz's blog. I like his YouTube channel. His videos are interesting and engaging. His advice is clear and concise. I also respect how much he's helped out players just getting into the hobby.
Ironically, despite Fritz's constant advice for players to figure things out for themselves first and foremost, what's happened at the local gamestores is that he's had such an impact, some of the Eldar players have become incredibly predictable. I expect Fritz welcomes new subscribers but my guess is that he doesn't have any need for actual disciples.
Then again, weighing the positives and negatives, I suppose it's mostly a good thing to have such easy access to competent gaming advice, especially for those who don't have easy access to an active local gaming community.
Anyway, I'm sure I'll eventually buy it too... :D
I've had a skim through this document and it is really good. I think Fritz's attitude is the key point for many players to take away. This is a game and you must remember that that is all it is. We all like to win but the key part of any game is for the players to have fun. The more you can relax and let the enjoyment be the reason you are there, the more you learn to really look at the battlefield tactically.
I know that I play the best when I'm just having fun rolling dice and when I really focus on trying to win it gets harder to see the mistakes (wood for the trees and all that). Otherwise, it's really about working through your army options and trying to think outside the internet wisdom box.
@Shas'O D'Narb, perhaps what is happening with the players in your area is like what happened to some degree with Bruce Lee's students. He was an innovator and as a fighter, talked about each person finding the right path for them in their martial arts styles. Of course, he had such good ideas and ways of teaching that some took what he taught as the literal way to do things and stopped thinking of the best way for them to do things.
Sorry to post this in your comment box, I couldn't find how to send you a private message.
Would you (and any other players reading this) be able to settle a dispute about Tau weapon loadouts please?
Basically, I'm trying to explain to my gaming group that if the Battlesuits take two of the same weapon they become twin-linked, and use the second points cost. They are saying that they can buy two of the same weapon and have them function seperately, using Shadowsun as an example (but I'm saying that she is the exception to the rule as explained in her rules).
Who is right here? And please explain why.
Feel free to delete this comment if you want.
On p25, the explanation just below the points listing explicitly explains how twin-linked weapons work for Tau. Therefore, you are correct.
Interestingly, two identical weapons fire as a single twin-linked weapon, they still count as two "Battlesuit Weapons Systems". Therefore, technically, they require a multitracker which allows the suit to fire two identical "Battlesuit Weapons Systems".
I've never seen this actually enforced, however.
I don't want to defame Fritz in anyway, because he's been great for new players and the blogosphere as a whole.
However, as D'Narb says, Fritz tactics are simple to counter once you know what to do. If anything his wins come from fooling his opponents with the element of surprise/unfamiliarity.
I'd be interested to see how he gets on at an official Warhammer 40K Grand Tournament where top level players generally aren't fooled and know each army's tactics inside and out.
Fritz doesn't actually write all of his tactics up there. He just gives general idea and the complex stuff is left out. I mean why would a top tournament player post his secrets?
That's correct, this PDF is more about general Tournament play than actual tactics. I actually would have like more tactics in the document tough.
However I must say that I think Fritz's videos and blog are way ahead of lots other due to the content. He is one of the few people that give practical and specific tactical advice on how to win the 3 40k missions and tournaments.
@D'Narb - Cheers mate, I've asked some other people as well and they all say the same thing.
So this Fritz manual sounds alright, but I do think $10 (about 6 or 7 quid here in the UK) is a bit steep. How many pages do you get?
Mind you, there are hundreds of self-help books that cost more and say alot less!
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