How did i fare in the first Pro level tournament?

Hello!

Some time ago, i posted this list for the 2000p tournament in my FLGC

http://www.thedarkcity.net/t17862-2000p-tournament-list#221284

How did i fare in the three games with that list against the dudes who play at ETC (European ITC )

Game 1.

Opponent : Eldar player with about 6 Wave Serpents + Autarch + Farseer + Spiritseer + 3 x Rangers + Hemlock (memory might fail in some details, but you get the idea)

A win! 13-7 was the final score and i was stoked! All the WS´s had Cannons, so loads of S6 shots with re-roll of one´s and Doom & Jinx all over. I could have scored a bit higher win margin, but made one mistake in one round causing me to lose at least 3 points . Still, first touch to the "big boys" league and i was feelin alright!

Game 2.

Opponent : Tyranids & Genestealer cult, loads of big critters, genestealers and hive guard and the little troop options...

Lost the game 20-0...cult ambush is quite annoying . I could have had few points, but the kill points racked the point difference so high, i called the game in the end of the 4th or the 5th...
Poor deployment on my Ravagers and failing 4/5 9" charges (even with the re-roll) in turn 2 sealed the deal. I think one of the most stupid 8th edition rules is the fact, that one unit can hold/score more than one objective per turn, fe. 30 Hormagaunts holding three objectives for a while...
Still an ok game, no bad spamming in the opponents list, he had few good strategems (Hive guard firing TWICE in the shooting phase cleared out a lot) and knew his stuff (and how to avoid mine )

Game 3.

Opponent : Smurfs with 5(!) Repulsors and 3 something in a Rhino chassis with T8 and shoots a lot AND the Guilliman standing in the middle letting them re-roll EVERYTHING. Do i need to say more? This game reminded me why i don´t like to play pro level games. In turn 5 had only the Archon left and all i destroyed in my turns was ONE repulsor...Two Talos & 5 x Grots got in CC with Guilliman and got him down to 2 wounds, but then he dusted them all...that was my shot, but no go. Points wise i was rollin along, but the wipe out was imminent...Archon failed like third 2+ and he still had 30 shots left...

I was 8/9, but if we forget the hobby points 7/9...

I was happy with the win and the lessons learned from the 2nd game, but the 3rd game was not for me...maybe go again in the future, but i enjoy more of the "fluff" tournaments.

- LV

How were the Mandrakes for you?

Do you think you'll make use of the Webway Gate for your Coven units?

They were alright, in one game rolled few mortal wounds, but mainly just kept them to apply pressure and get far objectives. I haven´t checked out the rules yet, but if there´s a chance to lose units if it´s destroyed (what i overheard, don´t know if accurate) and they are in reserves, then no.

How do you recommend defeating genestealer cult armies. A buddy of mine plays them and I haven’t beaten him yet. What would you have done differently?

Yeah, that was a problem in game 2. First turn assault (that is mostly what happens all the time) is annoying. I don´t think, there´s a way to counter that, except screening your n.1 units. Against me, the Patriarch Mass Hypnosis caused the Ravager to shoot my Venom, but i used Lightning Reflexes and it saved that Venom. Units on the table with Fly keyword, may be the only way to be "safe" for the alpha strike. Other, is to get high as possible if there´s tall buildings --> longer charge. Most likely, you´ll be giving the first blood, make sure you choose that unit carefully, that gets sacrificed, this might even open a possibility of baiting him in to a trap . In my game, the alpha strike wrecked almost completely one Ravager and caused 50% of my back line concentrating killing those two units for a round, fe. my two Ravagers were out of action for a turn, meaning, not to get to shoot the proper targets = big monsters.
Use webway (for two units = safe) and if possible, Mandrakes & Scourges = others in reserve might make a difference in top of all that i said above

My brother also plays with 2 blobs of genestealers. What worked best for me is using vexator mask on a haemi and building a screening wall with wracks, talos, archon, succubus and the haemi. The characters can perform heroic intervention and if you are lucky you can kill a lot of his genestealers before they can even fight.