Note: This started as something Kat wrote up for some of us locally. She has graciously allowed me to reformat it into more of an interview and share it here. (I will note, it's weird writing an interview where you are asking the questions after getting the answers, I hope this came out ok.).
Kevin Strong: Thanks for taking the time to do this. I am going to jump right in and ask, when you win the roll for initiative, what do you consider when deciding whether to go first or second?
Kat Royer: It is hella amazing when you win the roll, but you must understand that there are strengths to either situation. When you go first, you often are given the opportunity to travel further up the board than your opponent, but it all depends on you and your opponent's threat ranges. The absolute best case scenario, regardless of your own threat ranges, is fighting a list with static, inflexible threat. If their entire list can only charge at range 12, then you are able to dictate the engagements reliably and simply. Obviously if you also threaten 12 it gets spicy, and if you threaten less it gets even spicier.
Some modules can take some real punishment, and some cannot take that first punch. Circle has a powerful series of questions that they ask their opponent. Circle cannot usually take that first punch, but with the right conditions the medium based tharn can take the first wave of attacks. At the same time, the small based tharn can use stealth to truly bully the board if their opponent doesn't have the outs for stealth. As a general rule, if you cannot take the alpha then you are the alpha.
Going second, you have the first opportunity to score CP at the end of the second turn. Although you often lose board space, it is hugely helpful to not need to commit to zones and flags until the perfect moment. Also, it allows you to counter deploy.
KS: After lists have been selected, what do you look at when sizing up your opponent's list? What kinds of matchups are you looking to create during deployment?
KR: Following the Circle example, let's think about the Storm Raptor. At first glance, it isn't immediately obvious what counters this uniquely powerful piece. You want to look at some common model archetypes:
Standard Trooper: DEF 13/ARM 13, 1hp. Sometimes Tough, sometimes with +2/+2 conditional enhancements.
Dodgy Bois: DEF 17/ARM 10, 1hp. Vulnerable to incidental damage like Electroleap and sometimes blast, these models are challenging or even impossible to hit.
Med. Based Asshole: DEF 15/ARM 17, 5hp. Often Tough, often Rapid Healing, often dangerous. Many of these in the meta.
Utility Heavy: DEF 12/ARM 18, 25hp. Heavies come in all shapes and sizes, but this is about the average dooder.
Armor Fuck You: DEF 10/ARM 25, ?hp. This can be anything from Terminus, to something under an armor feat, to dwarves or paladins.
Heckin Chonker: DEF 8/ARM 21, 30hp. The thoroughput of these models may not be incredible [exceptions include the choo-choo train and turtles], but this is a model type you must be prepared for in this meta, there can be anywhere from 1 to 3 of these.
Right away, you can assume the storm raptor isn't afraid of a standard trooper, dodger, or even a medium based asshole. Looking at the raptor's kit however, you can see that it has some trouble into utility heavies, armor-fuck-yous and heckin chonkers. It has a capable and excellent gun at RNG 10-14/POW14-16, and so on average it's shooting a heavy for nearly all of its boxes if it boosts two of its three shots. The moment it gets dicey is when there are multiple heavies, and they in tandem threaten your gargantuan and you cannot control or kill them all. With the chonkers, you're only doing about half of its health on average if that, and pound for pound storm raptors do not out-melee the average chonker.
So going back to deployment, you can assume that if you are going second, you want to deploy your storm raptor opposite the models it likes to see, and avoid if possible the things it doesn't. I would before the game officially starts and the clock begins, take some time to carefully consider your opponent's list and your own, and size up what you can and cannot handle. If you've been out list-chickened, you must still do your best to line up the threats as optimally as possible. An enormous amount of clock is wasted by novice players taking attacks that aren't effective or necessary. Midgame, you might realize, 'oh shit this heavy should've gone after their chonker', or 'it was hella dumb to deploy ryssovass opposite his anti-tough gun'.
Assume that you have taken the necessary time to size up their models, and mentally allocate your threats.
KS: After deployment, the game begins. Do you have a general approach or guide that you use when taking your turns?
KR: Each turn I run through the holy steps.
Step One: Determine the optimal plan.
The best case scenario is what you should always plan for, whether it's a bit too hopeful or not. It never needs to be especially thought out, but this step always goes faster if you practice your exact list over and over. You will not know the optimal use case of each of your models until you've experienced it. All models come with a set of tools and skills and although there are obviously dice involved in the game, you can expect certain things regardless. Even if you can only form one solid plan, aim to execute it. An example of a loose optimal turn one plan, is to run a Hellmouth Tentacle forwards and hit it with Brand of Fire to arc a Fire Continuous effect onto one of their important solos. That is the best use case you could concievably find, and even if you run all your other models later it is the best use of that spell possible. Another loose plan would be, 'I'm going to try to clear out all the models in this zone and score it with my Wrecker.'
Step Two: Determine the back-up-plan because the optimal plan went horribly wrong at some point.
There are two major ways you can put yourself in a giant hole, in clock and in the game. The first is endangering your warlock/warcaster. If you've never seen your opponent's models and dont know what their assassination run looks like, or you go for something that should've eliminated all dangers to your warnoun and it didnt work out, operation: protect the boss is go. Make certain that your remaining options are carefully considered to stymy their options. Don't be afraid to not make attacks with models if it means you can hinder their attempts to capitalize on your blunder; even if you lose a swath of your army, you can almost always still win. Never truly lose hope, sometimes you're mike and you roll that hard 2 dice 11 to kill their caster in cover. Don't let your memes be dreams.
The second major way you can fuck yourself is via clock. I've noticed in the scrum that most of the time, the first turn takes 5-8min and usually just entails unpacking. The second turn is the engagement turn, where you're optimally making attacks and positioning and takes 15min. The third is where shit goes down at it can take 20min. The fourth you remember scenario exists and you take a 10min turn salvaging it. The last three rounds of the game are spent with 10min left on the clock and this is how most mistakes and sloppy play comes in. Without fail, you should play your turns with goals in mind rather than with the grand strategy in mind. Compartmentalize the tasks and they come much faster to you. Thinking several rounds ahead of time is for mega nerds, and if you ever spend more than 2 minutes considering step one you've already failed. I've seen players be in the tank for 10 minutes or 20 minutes. If you need to practice for an event, try handicapping yourself at a 55min or 50min deathclock. You'll find that at a real 60min deathclock event, you'll have so much extra time to close out the game.
Step Three: During a working turn, work back to front.
This doesn't apply as well for lists without different steps, but for the most part, to maximize efficiency try to activate and attack with your models in the far rear, and work forwards. A comforting thing to do to start the turn is to do the easy things that always happen, like Empowering a warjack or repairing a battle engine with an objective. If you clear out their chaff with your chaff you'll leave the models behind you with nothing to do. Try to reach their backline with your frontline by clearing the engagement like a daisy chain when possible. Optimally, you should never pause and think to yourself, 'damn, this remaining pocket of tharn should've just cleared that guy, I actually only needed 7's and then the ravagers could have gone into his turtle'.
Step Four: Eliminate the threats.
Going back to sizing up the competition, try to remind yourself what absolutely needs to die. If you have a string of dodgy bois, you need to kill off whatever threatens them so that they rule the board. If you have a hecking chonker, you must decimate their weaponmaster infantry. This all seems super obvious but in practice, I often see people just focus on what's immediately in front of them. Even if it takes extra effort, you must identify the things that are truly worth your attention. On a scenario with flags, taking the time to kill their solos is extremely advantageous, even if those same attacks could've gone into something else.
Step Five: MARK THE FUCKING TURNS
When the clock is tapped, whoever JUST finished their turn needs to fucking update the turn counter and determine the CPS. None of this 'what turn is it lol' it always matters and it's a fucking travesty when this drama happens. I don't give a shit how you track it PLEASE TRACK IT AND TALK WITH YOUR OPPONENT
Step Six: If all else fails, yolo assassinate. If everything failed for your opponent, prepare your butthole.
Everyone knows that moment when you realize attrition or scenario is totally fucked. Take the time to do the mental arithmetic to see if it's mathematically possible to kill their caster right then and there. It's actually not that hard, hence why certain players only ever think about caster kills. It's a series of dice rolls that have to go well, yes, but if you win then a win's a win. If you are on the other side and have done the smashing, remember that if you are physically not in range of their assassination attempt, you can only lose with clock. Use your measuring devices and killbox yourself if you have to. You should never ever be losing to these last ditch bullshit assassinations. I deserved to lose my game against mark because I was in range to be easily Gallows'd and killed but he missed a boosted 10. Don't be an idiot, idiot.
Step Seven: Take note of your mistakes, but don't let them ruin you.
It's easy to get frustrated in this game. Sometimes shit sucks, and you do something that's obviously very stupid. You put the titan gladiator out of the rectangle zone even though that would've just been a free point. You failed to acknowledge that they didn't have reach to kill your solo on the flag and didn't bother to put it there. Etc. Try if you can to record your simple mistakes, but don't ever dwell on them. Barrel forward and execute the plan.
KS: That seems like a pretty thorough explanation for turns. Any final thoughts?
KR: Yes, there is ine final thing. ABOVE ALL ELSE, PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR OPPONENT. If you don't want to ever deal with a difficult situation, you must be proactive in policing the game. That's just how it is if you want to win. Loudly narrate everything you do and clearly. If there's a chance your shit gets bumped make sure you announce your intent. I intend to be out of that guy's gun, I intend to contest the zone. When it's turn 4 and both of you have eight minutes combined on the clock, take a moment to pause the clock {illegally lol} and lay down the ground rules. Do not concede points, do not give backsies. Play clean. It's a fucking tournament for little men, lets play a kickass game.
Kevin Strong: Thanks for taking the time to do this. I am going to jump right in and ask, when you win the roll for initiative, what do you consider when deciding whether to go first or second?
Kat Royer: It is hella amazing when you win the roll, but you must understand that there are strengths to either situation. When you go first, you often are given the opportunity to travel further up the board than your opponent, but it all depends on you and your opponent's threat ranges. The absolute best case scenario, regardless of your own threat ranges, is fighting a list with static, inflexible threat. If their entire list can only charge at range 12, then you are able to dictate the engagements reliably and simply. Obviously if you also threaten 12 it gets spicy, and if you threaten less it gets even spicier.
Some modules can take some real punishment, and some cannot take that first punch. Circle has a powerful series of questions that they ask their opponent. Circle cannot usually take that first punch, but with the right conditions the medium based tharn can take the first wave of attacks. At the same time, the small based tharn can use stealth to truly bully the board if their opponent doesn't have the outs for stealth. As a general rule, if you cannot take the alpha then you are the alpha.
Going second, you have the first opportunity to score CP at the end of the second turn. Although you often lose board space, it is hugely helpful to not need to commit to zones and flags until the perfect moment. Also, it allows you to counter deploy.
KS: After lists have been selected, what do you look at when sizing up your opponent's list? What kinds of matchups are you looking to create during deployment?
KR: Following the Circle example, let's think about the Storm Raptor. At first glance, it isn't immediately obvious what counters this uniquely powerful piece. You want to look at some common model archetypes:
Standard Trooper: DEF 13/ARM 13, 1hp. Sometimes Tough, sometimes with +2/+2 conditional enhancements.
Dodgy Bois: DEF 17/ARM 10, 1hp. Vulnerable to incidental damage like Electroleap and sometimes blast, these models are challenging or even impossible to hit.
Med. Based Asshole: DEF 15/ARM 17, 5hp. Often Tough, often Rapid Healing, often dangerous. Many of these in the meta.
Utility Heavy: DEF 12/ARM 18, 25hp. Heavies come in all shapes and sizes, but this is about the average dooder.
Armor Fuck You: DEF 10/ARM 25, ?hp. This can be anything from Terminus, to something under an armor feat, to dwarves or paladins.
Heckin Chonker: DEF 8/ARM 21, 30hp. The thoroughput of these models may not be incredible [exceptions include the choo-choo train and turtles], but this is a model type you must be prepared for in this meta, there can be anywhere from 1 to 3 of these.
Right away, you can assume the storm raptor isn't afraid of a standard trooper, dodger, or even a medium based asshole. Looking at the raptor's kit however, you can see that it has some trouble into utility heavies, armor-fuck-yous and heckin chonkers. It has a capable and excellent gun at RNG 10-14/POW14-16, and so on average it's shooting a heavy for nearly all of its boxes if it boosts two of its three shots. The moment it gets dicey is when there are multiple heavies, and they in tandem threaten your gargantuan and you cannot control or kill them all. With the chonkers, you're only doing about half of its health on average if that, and pound for pound storm raptors do not out-melee the average chonker.
So going back to deployment, you can assume that if you are going second, you want to deploy your storm raptor opposite the models it likes to see, and avoid if possible the things it doesn't. I would before the game officially starts and the clock begins, take some time to carefully consider your opponent's list and your own, and size up what you can and cannot handle. If you've been out list-chickened, you must still do your best to line up the threats as optimally as possible. An enormous amount of clock is wasted by novice players taking attacks that aren't effective or necessary. Midgame, you might realize, 'oh shit this heavy should've gone after their chonker', or 'it was hella dumb to deploy ryssovass opposite his anti-tough gun'.
Assume that you have taken the necessary time to size up their models, and mentally allocate your threats.
KS: After deployment, the game begins. Do you have a general approach or guide that you use when taking your turns?
KR: Each turn I run through the holy steps.
Step One: Determine the optimal plan.
The best case scenario is what you should always plan for, whether it's a bit too hopeful or not. It never needs to be especially thought out, but this step always goes faster if you practice your exact list over and over. You will not know the optimal use case of each of your models until you've experienced it. All models come with a set of tools and skills and although there are obviously dice involved in the game, you can expect certain things regardless. Even if you can only form one solid plan, aim to execute it. An example of a loose optimal turn one plan, is to run a Hellmouth Tentacle forwards and hit it with Brand of Fire to arc a Fire Continuous effect onto one of their important solos. That is the best use case you could concievably find, and even if you run all your other models later it is the best use of that spell possible. Another loose plan would be, 'I'm going to try to clear out all the models in this zone and score it with my Wrecker.'
Step Two: Determine the back-up-plan because the optimal plan went horribly wrong at some point.
There are two major ways you can put yourself in a giant hole, in clock and in the game. The first is endangering your warlock/warcaster. If you've never seen your opponent's models and dont know what their assassination run looks like, or you go for something that should've eliminated all dangers to your warnoun and it didnt work out, operation: protect the boss is go. Make certain that your remaining options are carefully considered to stymy their options. Don't be afraid to not make attacks with models if it means you can hinder their attempts to capitalize on your blunder; even if you lose a swath of your army, you can almost always still win. Never truly lose hope, sometimes you're mike and you roll that hard 2 dice 11 to kill their caster in cover. Don't let your memes be dreams.
The second major way you can fuck yourself is via clock. I've noticed in the scrum that most of the time, the first turn takes 5-8min and usually just entails unpacking. The second turn is the engagement turn, where you're optimally making attacks and positioning and takes 15min. The third is where shit goes down at it can take 20min. The fourth you remember scenario exists and you take a 10min turn salvaging it. The last three rounds of the game are spent with 10min left on the clock and this is how most mistakes and sloppy play comes in. Without fail, you should play your turns with goals in mind rather than with the grand strategy in mind. Compartmentalize the tasks and they come much faster to you. Thinking several rounds ahead of time is for mega nerds, and if you ever spend more than 2 minutes considering step one you've already failed. I've seen players be in the tank for 10 minutes or 20 minutes. If you need to practice for an event, try handicapping yourself at a 55min or 50min deathclock. You'll find that at a real 60min deathclock event, you'll have so much extra time to close out the game.
Step Three: During a working turn, work back to front.
This doesn't apply as well for lists without different steps, but for the most part, to maximize efficiency try to activate and attack with your models in the far rear, and work forwards. A comforting thing to do to start the turn is to do the easy things that always happen, like Empowering a warjack or repairing a battle engine with an objective. If you clear out their chaff with your chaff you'll leave the models behind you with nothing to do. Try to reach their backline with your frontline by clearing the engagement like a daisy chain when possible. Optimally, you should never pause and think to yourself, 'damn, this remaining pocket of tharn should've just cleared that guy, I actually only needed 7's and then the ravagers could have gone into his turtle'.
Step Four: Eliminate the threats.
Going back to sizing up the competition, try to remind yourself what absolutely needs to die. If you have a string of dodgy bois, you need to kill off whatever threatens them so that they rule the board. If you have a hecking chonker, you must decimate their weaponmaster infantry. This all seems super obvious but in practice, I often see people just focus on what's immediately in front of them. Even if it takes extra effort, you must identify the things that are truly worth your attention. On a scenario with flags, taking the time to kill their solos is extremely advantageous, even if those same attacks could've gone into something else.
Step Five: MARK THE FUCKING TURNS
When the clock is tapped, whoever JUST finished their turn needs to fucking update the turn counter and determine the CPS. None of this 'what turn is it lol' it always matters and it's a fucking travesty when this drama happens. I don't give a shit how you track it PLEASE TRACK IT AND TALK WITH YOUR OPPONENT
Step Six: If all else fails, yolo assassinate. If everything failed for your opponent, prepare your butthole.
Everyone knows that moment when you realize attrition or scenario is totally fucked. Take the time to do the mental arithmetic to see if it's mathematically possible to kill their caster right then and there. It's actually not that hard, hence why certain players only ever think about caster kills. It's a series of dice rolls that have to go well, yes, but if you win then a win's a win. If you are on the other side and have done the smashing, remember that if you are physically not in range of their assassination attempt, you can only lose with clock. Use your measuring devices and killbox yourself if you have to. You should never ever be losing to these last ditch bullshit assassinations. I deserved to lose my game against mark because I was in range to be easily Gallows'd and killed but he missed a boosted 10. Don't be an idiot, idiot.
Step Seven: Take note of your mistakes, but don't let them ruin you.
It's easy to get frustrated in this game. Sometimes shit sucks, and you do something that's obviously very stupid. You put the titan gladiator out of the rectangle zone even though that would've just been a free point. You failed to acknowledge that they didn't have reach to kill your solo on the flag and didn't bother to put it there. Etc. Try if you can to record your simple mistakes, but don't ever dwell on them. Barrel forward and execute the plan.
KS: That seems like a pretty thorough explanation for turns. Any final thoughts?
KR: Yes, there is ine final thing. ABOVE ALL ELSE, PLEASE COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR OPPONENT. If you don't want to ever deal with a difficult situation, you must be proactive in policing the game. That's just how it is if you want to win. Loudly narrate everything you do and clearly. If there's a chance your shit gets bumped make sure you announce your intent. I intend to be out of that guy's gun, I intend to contest the zone. When it's turn 4 and both of you have eight minutes combined on the clock, take a moment to pause the clock {illegally lol} and lay down the ground rules. Do not concede points, do not give backsies. Play clean. It's a fucking tournament for little men, lets play a kickass game.
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