Composition ideas after ETC

Our composition on the past ETC-2013 looked like this: 3 defenders, 2 semi-defenders, 3 attackers. I tried to get the best possible pairings for our attackers while playing defenders and semi-defenders as champions, defenders and as last man standers. Let’s look at our composition in detail:

Defenders:

DA+IG – the “first defender” based on the Azrael-boosted platoon with punishers and Vendettas, the list that never get more than 12 points, but do not give points to the opponent.

GK – razorback spam, a lot of fast cheap troops. It has no destruction points, so it can bring points in any match and also has the capability to attack several builds that are afraid of mass S8 shooting.

IG+GK – the second mech-defender with punishers. It synergies well with GK and DA, creating something like a similar defender type.

So, all our defenders need the same types of attacking build to be constructed for them. Something like a target overload for opponent’s composition, that might not include 3 attackers on mech armies.

Semi-defenders:

Necrons – it was perfectly shown at ESC, where Warpstone, our Necron player was close to get 1st place, fighting at the top tables all the way. Solid allcomers list!

CSM/Necrons – the same as Necrons – one of the best allcomers builds.

Attackers:

DE – a huge amount of low-strength shooting. Nightshielded transports is a try to counter European-style Tau builds (Ethereal+riptides+broadsides spam).

Tau/SM – maybe the best anti-Necron, anti Azrael DA-IG build I think. Nullzone with teleport and a lot of shooting – that’s it.

Tyranids – fast and deadly close-combat build. I took the idea from Vladdy and polished it a bit:) The nail in the platoons and mech IG coffin. Have IG in defence? We have raveners!

So, the attackers group is diverse. It can take care of any build of any kind… or not?

In practice.

DE overestimated it’s possibility to attack Tau. So I had a bad time trying to find a match for DE to gain at least a draw!

Daemons kicked GK and IG+GK hard, so I had to defend with Semi-defenders, actually.

And, actually, that problems araised with every team – Daemons and Tau! Urgghhh! That’s the difference in meta, actually.

On the other hand, we had tyranids, necrons and Tau that were a surprise on their own for the west-European teams:) We had no problems with enemy IG and Necrons, while our Necrons were a problem for the opponent.

So, as usual, plusses and minuses. Anyway, it was my first ETC, and the second time I was a captain. Now I have a better understanding of the meta and pairings mechanics, so I’ll try to change my pairings system.

First of all, I want to change the terminology. 

Attacker, semi-defender, defender. Actually, that is not the team I want to have at my disposal.

Defenders… no way, we call a heavy allcomers “defenders”. But I need some lists that function like a swamp, bogging down anyone who steps inside. So, not defender, I need a STOPPER! I need a list with possibilities to STOP anyone, to bring home his 10 points!

Attackers… I do not need headless rushers like my raveners:) I need the lists that bring a lot of points, the one who scores is a scorer, but I need only TOP SCORERS!

Semi-defenders. What is the difference with defenders? Usually, it’s not the best codices so they have bad matches and are called “semi”-defenders. Crap! I do not need weak codices to try to outperform the best ones! I need the best Codices to go with the best allcomers lists and I call this players – grinders! The grind on singles tournaments and I want them just to do the same job on the team tourney – get their points! Like in a singles tourney! Grind the points, GRINDERS!

That’s the first step – terminology – for each player to better understand his role in a team!

STOPPER – stop that Tau, Eldar and the Devil itself!

GRINDER – do what you always do!

TOPSCORER – I gave you the pairing, so give me wipeout!