Fun versus Win

Breaking the 4^th wall, this was written before SAWS.

I find that I go through patterns.  Last year I did really well in GTs, but in doing so I was playing a strong Skaven double tower list.  It wasn’t as strong as I could have made it – only one unit of gutter runners, no doom rocket or brass orb and only 1 abomination with no other rares.  It was rough, pure points denial and chaff with strong magic and the ability to do the damage it needed to get to get the points to win.  I won Bay Area Open, earned max battle at SAWS earning best general and went 4-1 at QCR.  I also went top at the local events for the year, winning a few.  It was a good year for winning.

The year before I went 2^nd for the year at the local events, winning less but some.  I earned top 10 at a few GTs, including 4^th at the first Bay Area Open and 8^th at SAWS.  I also played some strange lists, including 6 months with the wizard hat.  That’s right, the worst item in the game of warhammer, the lovely wizard hat.  It was a blast, but much harder to be consistent (imagine that, level 2, random lore is random).  I never did get to kick off strength 10 slaves.

For this SAWS I’m taking a list I fully expect to lose 5 games with.  I’m considering taking it to QCR as well for another 5 losses (and by the time this posts I may or may not have actually done so (lists are/were due June 18^th or something).

I sure hope I have/had a blast losing with the night runner list.

What I want to do is find a balance where I can make a strange, fun to play list (for me and my opponent, I hope) but that also allows me to win a good portion of my games.  My dark elf list is a blast to play, lots of movement, always thinking ahead but I have been told that it isn’t that much fun to play against.  Note – while I’ve never played against it, I have played a Wood Elf version that I had a blast playing against.

I’m not sure if it’s just that I enjoy seeing new lists and having to stretch my play ability, or if perhaps others dislike having to stretch theirs but it hasn’t gone over well in terms of being received by opponents (let’s be clear, some of the top end players I’ve played this year have either played similar lists or appreciated the design).  Looking at the Warriors and High Elves book I truly believe that this is the way a good part of warhammer fantasy is going in the future, and I look forward to more books and 9^th edition (and the rumors of the old ‘flying high’).

So for my non-existent readers, any comments to my rambling?  What are your thoughts on avoidance lists?  The future?  The target of all things compy?