Birdy, birdy, birdy (AKA my Axemaster list)

My, how time flies. I still hadn't finished writing up my report of Rumble in the Bronx when I realised that I had to submit a list for Axemaster. The tournaments are only 3 weeks apart this year, which is a very short turn-around. I was a bit burnt out after my mad rush to prepare for Rumble, and I came faily close to deciding that I wasn't going to enter Axemaster at all.

It didn't help that I'm not at all convinced by the player pack being used this time around. It's using the SCGT pack, which doesn't include comp to directly affect scores per se. Instead a higher comp score gives a player a better chance to win roll-offs to determine deployment, first turn, etc. It's an interesting idea, but I'm not sure if it will make enough of a difference, and I'm also not convinced by the "hard" and "soft" choices identified for each army.

Anyway, in the end I decided that I could handle what might turn out to be a flawed pack, and that I really should enter what is basically our main local tournament (given it's run by Hampton). So I sat down and started making a sensible list that exploited the player pack the way most of the competitive sorts will be doing. Then I got bored, scrapped it all, and started making a list packed with Griffons instead. The flying Tyrant at Rumble had gotten me hooked on flying models, and I wanted some in my list - despite knowing what would likely happen to them.

Like the old saying goes, 2 wrongs make a right. I'm sure that's how it went...

Anyway, here is my 2600 point Empire list, with lots of flappy birdies and very few/no models that I will have to paint in a hurry (I'm still recovering from the push before Rumble).

• General of the Empire
  • General; Great Weapon; Full Plate Armor; Shield
  • White Cloak of Ulric
  • Imperial Griffon
• General of the Empire
  • Great Weapon; Full Plate Armor; Shield
  • Ironcurse Icon
  • Dragonhelm
  • Imperial Griffon
• Captain of the Empire
  • Lance; Full Plate Armor; Battle Standard
  • Enchanted Shield
  • Talisman of Preservation
  • Imperial Pegasus
  • Swift as the Winds
• Luthor Huss
  • Barding; Great Weapon; Heavy Armour; Warhorse
• Battle Wizard (Level 2, Lore of Light)
• Battle Wizard (Level 2, Lore of Metal)
• Battle Wizard (Level 1, Lore of Beasts)
  • Dispel Scroll
• 14 Knights of the Inner Circle
  • Barding; Lance; Full Plate Armor; Shield; Standard; Musician; Preceptor
  • The Steel Standard
• 40 Halberdiers
  • Halberd; Light Armour; Standard; Musician
  • 5 Detachment - Archers
  • 5 Detachment - Archers
• 5 Demigryph Knights
  • Barding; Lance; Shield; Standard; Musician
  • Banner of Swiftness
• Steam Tank

Comp calculations (scoring starts at 5):

Hard Choices:

Steam Tank -1

Soft Choices:

General of the Empire +1

Griffon +1

General of the Empire +1

Griffon +1

Luthor Huss +1

Final Score: 9/10

That is a very high comp score, and more than double much of the field if the stats we're seeing so far are any indication. So I guess we will see what bonuses to deployment and first turn roll-offs are really worth, eh?

I packed in a few wizards because for the last 2 tournaments I have had a sum total of 1 level of magic. I wanted to use the magic phase again. This list could only fit little wizards, but at least I'd have 5 spells in total. And a dispel scroll! Anyway, this list includes some pretty questionable selections, not the least of which is exposing both my General and BSB on flying monsters. At least the BSB can take cover in the Demigryphs at a pinch.

I've just realised I only have 5 deployments, too. Man, what have I done?