The Emerald City Open was a five game event over two days that took place in Pull-em-ups, WA on 19th and 20th Feb. It saw 46 players fight it out to be claimed champion.

Most Selected Faction/Subfaction

No suprise that Stormcast Eternals/Hammers of Sigmar lead the way again in the number of armies.

Win Rate

The Top Three Lists

These were the top three lists from the Emerald City Open tournament.

Mat Beasley – Legion of the First Prince

Matt won all five games beating Slaves to Darkness/Ravagers in Round 1, Stormcast Eternals/Hammers of Sigmar in Round 2, Daughters of Khaine/Khailebron in Round 3, Soulblight Gravelords/Kastelai Dynasty in Round 4 and Stormcast Eternals/Hammers of Sigmar in the last round.

Allegiance: Legion of the First Prince
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: Beast Master
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
———-

Be’Lakor, the Dark Master (360)**
– Lore of Ruinous Sorcery: The Master’s Command
Kairos Fateweaver (435)*
– Lore of Ruinous Sorcery: The Master’s Command
Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage (280)
– General
– Command Trait: Ruinous Aura
– Artefact: Armour of the Pact
Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince (210)**
– Sword
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne
The Contorted Epitome (255)**
– Artefact: Fourfold Blade
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon

Battleline
———-

10 x Bloodletters (115)**
5 x Flesh Hounds (105)*
5 x Flesh Hounds (105)*

Endless Spells & Invocations
———-

Emerald Lifeswarm (60)
Umbral Spellportal (70)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Warlord

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 87
Drops: 6

Declan – Matt is running an army that has been popular in the UK since AOS3 dropped back in September – in Magic the Gathering it would be called a ‘control’ deck.

Be’Lakor can cause a unit to miss entire phases once a game (which can mean two turns), Kairos can change a dice roll once a game, and the Khorne Daemon Prince halves charges.

This allows Matt to complete almost impossible Battle Tactics or – more usefully – stop an opponent succeeding in one. In games where winning by 1 point is a win this is a great ability.

However this army is not ‘pick up and play’ and needs practice, practice, practice to get right – as such a great result for Matt.

Mason Knox – Seraphon

Mason managed an impressive four wins over the weekend, losing only to Stormcast Eternals/Hammers of Sigmar in Round 4. He beat Stormcast Eternals/Hammers of Sigmar in Round 1, Cities of Sigmar/Living City in Round 2, Lumineth Realm-Lords/Alumnia in Round 3 and Cities of Sigmar/Living City in Round 5.

Army Faction: Seraphon
– Army Type: Coalesced
– Subfaction: Thunder Lizard
– Grand Strategy: Beast Master
– Triumph: Bloodthirsty

LEADERS
———-

Engine of the Gods (265)*
– Artefacts of Power: Fusil of Conflagration
– Prayers: Heal
– Mount Trait: BeastMaster
Skink Priest (80)*
– Prayers: Guidance
Slann Starmaster (265)*
– General
– Command Traits: Arcane Might
– Spells: Stellar Tempest

BATTLELINE
———-

5 x Saurus Guard (115)*
1 x Stegadon (265)*
1 x Stegadon (265)*

BEHEMOTH
———-

1 x Bastiladon with Solar Engine (250)*

OTHER
———-
10 x Chameleon Skinks (230)*
10 x Chameleon Skinks (230)*

TERRAIN
———-

1 x Realmshaper Engine (0)

CORE BATTALIONS
– *Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: 1965/2000

Declan – The Seraphon army has been tearing up the tournament scene recently and that is because it has a toolbox of options and so can pivot into any meta and any changes to the meta. Mason has taken a few of the usual suspects – Bastiladon with Solar Engine, Stegadons and Engine of the Gods – and has added his own unique twist with 2 x 10 Chameleon Skinks.

I don’t remember seeing so many before and they add their shooting to that of the longer range monsters… and the shooting meta is strong at the moment.

Alexander Gonzalez – Soulblight Gravelords

Alexander also won four of his five games, losing only in Round 4 against Cities of Sigmar/Living City. Along the way he beat the Ossiarch Bonereapers/Mortis Praetorians in Round 1, Beast of Chaos/Allherd in Round 2, Soulblight Gravelords/Vyrkos Dynasty in Round 3 and Soulblight Gravelords/Kastelai Dynasty in Round 5.

Allegiance: Soulblight Gravelords
– Lineage: Vyrkos Dynasty
– Grand Strategy: Predator’s Domain
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
———-

Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon (435)
– General
– Deathlance
– Command Trait: Pack Alpha
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Mount Trait: Foetid Miasma
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon
Radukar the Beast (315)**
Mannfred von Carstein, Mortarch of Night (380)
– Lore of the Deathmages: Fading Vigour

Battleline
———-

10 x Deathrattle Skeletons (85)**
10 x Deathrattle Skeletons (85)**
10 x Dire Wolves (135)**

Units
———-

20 x Grave Guard (280)*
– Great Wight Blades
– Reinforced x 1
20 x Grave Guard (280)*
– Great Wight Blades
– Reinforced x 1

Core Battalions
*Hunters of the Heartlands
**Battle Regiment

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 118
Drops: 5

Declan – 40 Grave Guard! Wow! I’ve fought 20 of them before and they can kill a Mega Gargant over a couple of rounds of combat. Backed up by Mannfred and a Zombie Dragon, this army can get where it needs to get to.

The really secret tech (may not be secret) is Mannfred’s command ability:

Considering most armies pay 1 command point for a one phase +1 to hit this is amazing value for a command ability. Sure it’s a relatively small range but with the smaller boards and Mannfred’s ability to run away from combat this is almost impossible to stop. Then it’s Grave Guard for the win!

Wildcard – Brian Cox – Beast of Chaos

Brian won 4 games with Beasts of Chaos and finished the event in 7th. He lost second game against eventually 3rd place finisher Alex and his Soulblight Gravelords/Vyrkos Dynasty list. He won against Beasts of Chaos in Round 1, Legion of the First Prince in Round 3, Cities of Sigmar/Living City in Round 4 (which included 40 crossbows, 4x Stormdrake Guard and 4x Fulminators) and Daughters of Khaine/Khailebron in the last round. Truly a great achievement.

Allegiance: Beasts of Chaos
– Greatfray: Allherd
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: Prized Sorcery
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
———-

Doombull (115)*
– General
– Command Trait: Dominator
– Artefact: Blade of the Desecrator
Dragon Ogor Shaggoth (155)*
– Artefact: Tanglehorn Familiars
– Lore of Dark Storms: Hailstorm
Grashrak Fellhoof (150)*
– Lore of the Twisted Wilds: Savage Dominion
Tzaangor Shaman of Beasts of Chaos (135)***
– Lore of the Twisted Wilds: Tendrils of Atrophy

Battleline
———-

3 x Bullgors (130)**
– Great Axes
3 x Bullgors (130)**
– Great Axes
3 x Bullgors (130)**
– Great Axes
3 x Bullgors (130)***
– Great Axes
3 x Bullgors (130)***
– Great Axes

Units
———-

3 x Tzaangor Enlightened of Beasts of Chaos (95)***
3 x Tzaangor Enlightened of Beasts of Chaos (95)
3 x Tzaangor Enlightened of Beasts of Chaos (95)
3 x Tzaangor Enlightened of Beasts of Chaos (95)
10 x Ungor Raiders (90)
10 x Ungor Raiders (90)
10 x Ungor Raiders (90)
1 x Mindstealer Sphiranx (95)
– Allies

Endless Spells & Invocations
———-

Doomblast Dirgehorn (45)

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Hunters of the Heartlands
***Vanguard

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 95 / 400
Wounds: 165
Drops: 17

Declan – Another great choice from Peter. 17 drops is immense and really brings a clear example of MSU (multiple small units).

The ally – Mindstealer Sphinx – at 95 points is a bargain of a Monster in the Realm of Ghur allowing Brian to pick up the Monsterous Takeover battle tactic, and his large number of units probably gave him good control over the board.

I’ve not played BoC in the AOS3 because they aren’t doing well or present in the Meta much. Hopefully this will encourage a resurgance – and the game will be better for it! Congratulations to Brian for doing really well with a lower tier army!

The Final Tournament Placings

– Declan & Peter

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