A Beer and Pretzel Tournament: Reconciling Competition and Grim Atmosphere

Tournaments are generally a legitimate excuse to bring out an army’s big guns and play rough. There are enough postings on the web about how to create a cut-throat competitive army, and while these lists satisfy most tournament goers, they don’t satisfy me. I honestly can’t step back and look at 40k as purely a game, because doing that removes all the great fluff and atmosphere that the game was arguably intended to embody. So how can you compromise between 40ks fluff filled, gothic setting, and a tournaments spirit of competition?

First and foremost, before list building, realize that a tournament is essentially a chance to play three games against potentially new opponents. Whether you already have a gaming club or not, they present a great chance to meet new guys who can become members of the more often indulged in casual, beer and pretzels gaming scene. All standard sportsmanship rules apply, and remember, you don’t want to come off looking like a rules as written (RAW) fascist. Even in a competitive setting, give your opponent the benefit of the doubt concerning tough measurements or template contacts. Always allow dice to be re-rolled if there is ever a question from either side. Even more importantly remind opponents of decisions that make no sense on their part. For example being unaware of Dark Eldar Grotesque rules and shooting at them with Bolters (Only Strength 5 can hurt them!). Even in a tournament setting, not telling your opponent about those sorts of special rules is sneaky and a low blow. Friendly reminders and special rule heads ups can go a long way for both your sportsmanship and the overall atmosphere of a tournament.


Fluff is a double edged sword in tournaments. In can be used to present great, fun, flavorful lists, or it can be used to justify some of the worst spam out there. There’s no denying that a Pedro army shouldn’t have Sternguard units included, but having them jam packed to the brim is brutal to say the least. How do you make a flavorful list without abusing it? Take these following points in mind when constructing a list:

-Get a general theme. Tau Supply Line Disrupters (ala Taros), Eldar Court, Guard Artillery Company, Ork Freebootas, etc.

-Rationalize the conflict size to the points size. For instance a large Marine engagement (2500p+) might have you seeing more than one Landraider, and a Force Commander, and some other heavy stuff. A 1500p engagement might only have foot slogging troops and a lesser HQ with maybe only one or two tanks to back them up. Remember Land Raiders, Wraithlords, Elite command units, and equipment like Shokk Attakk Guns are rare in the 40k universe. Why and how would a commander be able to requisition many rare items for a small battle?

-View your squads as individuals, not as little gaming pieces. Marines for instance are unique and will have unique and varying equipment. Ork Meks rarely make the same thing twice (successfully). Multiple units with same builds can be effective but not all together realistic especially once army fluff has been introduced. Necron and some Guard regiments can be excused, but come on, transform your little men into toy soldiers, not chess pieces.

-Shy away from Internet and Math Lists. More of a general rule of thumb, make your list your own. It’s a little too easy and tempting to fish online for a great competitive list or a list where averages are always in your favor. I have a theory that deep down every 40k player is still a bit of a hobbyist and because of this, a personalized, unique list will always be more interesting than a copy-paste clone.

With these ideas in mind how do you still stay competitive? To be honest it’s not all that difficult. Skill and luck often have more effect on the game then units do. Build with an all comers mind set. With 5th edition vehicles are more beefy, but ways to hurt them are also more plentiful. Mix meltas and plasmas, take an autocannon or two. Have a clear and defined anti-tank ability for three or four of your units, but vary the design. Obliterators are the swiss army knives of tank killing, but Chaos marine squads can carry plasma and lascannons as well and they even count as scoring. Balance is sometimes a virtue. The ‘character’ specific fluff roles attributed to squads and individuals should help conceive and rationalize codex choices.

After you conceive your list put it to practice. Learn what a unit’s in-game strengths and weaknesses are, not their theory hammer expectations. Individuals with all their eccentricities have flaws and so do your units. With this knowledge you can play your army more effectively… you can play it competitively. Playing competitively doesn’t need to mean Winning At All Costs and building a list to do so easily, what it means is playing with knowledge and skill, and attempting to use strategic, well thought out maneuvers and tactics to pull off a win and more importantly a great game. Even a poor list when played well can do wonders, and in a tournament setting a poor list isn’t required… but a flavorful one is appreciated! Like with all things there is a golden mean, and in the grim darkness of the far future there doesn’t simply need to be just causal fluff games or deadly serious competitions.



Well after all that preaching I might as well give sample competitive Tau list built with fluff and a theme in mind:

HQ - Shas’El: Missile Pod, AFP, HW Multi-tracker , HW Target Lock, Stims, Bonding Knife, Positional Relay 122p
Elites – Squad (3) Crisis Suits: TL Missile Pod 159p
Troops – 10 Firewarriors: Carbines 215p
Devilfish:SMS, Disruption Pod, Flechette
Troops – 10 Firewarriors: Rifles 225p
Devilfish: SMS, Disruption Pod, Seeker Missile x2
Troops – 11 Firewarriors: Rifles, Shas’ui w/Markerlight 130p
Troops- 14 Kroot: Shaper, 10 Hounds 172p
Fast Attack – 5 Kroot Riders (IA3) 200p
Fast Attack – Tetras Squadron (2) – Targetting Array 110p
Fast Attack – 10 Pathfinders 225p
Devilfish: SMS, Disruption Pod
Heavy Support – Broadside: ‘vre, A.S.S., HW Drone Controller, Shield Drone (2), Bonding Knife 125p
Heavy Support – Broadside: ‘vre, Shield Gen, Plasma Rifles, HW Drone Controller, Shield Drone (2), Bonding Knife 145p
Heavy Support – Hammerhead: Railgun, Burst Cannons, Disruption Pod, Multi-tracker 165p

1999points KP- 15 Scoring– 4

The army picture above is scaled down 1750p version of the list shown above (it is missing a Hammerhead and few bodies). The list finished in overall 8th out of 22, with two wins and one loss.

The theme is based on the average force that Imperial Scouts and supply lines would face during the Taros campaign. Tetras and Pathfinders would guide Orca inserted Broadsides toward valuable targets while Kroot harass the advancing scouts or rear guards. Once the enemy regroups the main Tau force would slide in to provide cover for a quick withdrawal and the whole force would disappear using its cloaking technology. In game you can use a firebase of Firewarriors and the stationary Broadside to harass the enemy while shielding the pathfinders who eliminate cover and boost BS for the army’s other units. The Kroot riders are counter charge units or can also used to single out smaller squads without Power Fists (they have three wounds a piece!) The Kroot either hunker down in cover, on an objective, or act as a tar pit (they can also flank!). The Crisis and HQ eliminate transports and target GEq squads, while the two devilfish teams can contest object late game (helped by the HQs positional Relay) or get in some cover and add to the weight of fire.



I can never pretend to think that I’ll sway everyone, and there will always be guys out there who do only look to win no matter what. I however don’t think tournaments should be their justification, or even a sore subject with beer and pretzel gamers. There is absolutely a realm where competition and 40k as a setting can meet, and I am of the opinion that it is one of the finest places the hobby and game can go.