This week, with Realm Championships upon us, I wanted to take a moment and talk about having fun. Yes, fun. I know, it’s a shocking concept to want to have fun in a competitive gaming environment, but at it’s core, I am always reminding myself, this is just that, a game. And games, well, are supposed to be fun. We all love this WoW minis game UDE has put together, because, it’s like a living, breathing, 3D PVP battle. Ok, well, maybe it doesn’t breath, but it does take your breath away sometimes.
This weekend my 15 year old is coming with me to the Realms Championship, which will be her first time playing at a competitive event outside of the local Battlegrounds. I still (man I’m old thinking about this now) remember my first Magic PTQ tournament I went to. I was so nervous, constantly worried about everything, from the simplest gameplay rules to the complex decks I’d be facing. I had 0 fun. I was so uptight about everything I couldn’t enjoy anything. I took some time and reminded my kiddo that it is truly having fun that matters. Yes you want to win, yes you want to be competitive, but if you can’t have fun at this hobby, it may not be for you. She’s very excited about it all and keeping everything in perspective, but this stands true for us all… if we aren’t having fun, what’s the point?
PVP? That’s fun. And WoW Minis is really just 3D PVP. Most people I have met through playing this game play online of course. And of those folks, many, in fact I’d say the majority, play PVP to some major extent. When you’re online, whether it’s a Warsong Gluch or random world PVP, there really is nothing better than whipping out your best whooping stick and laying it down on someone(s). Doing it in front of their face rather than online is totally different too! With WoW Minis it is the best. It’s one thing to double team on a gnome mage with 2 troll rogues (wait, that may be another article I’m thinking of) while she is enjoying some fresh Dalaran Sharp, but it’s a completely different thing to physically take someone’s mini and toss it, that’s right, TOSS it off the board, while laughing in your best evil genius laugh ever…
With that, I give you the team that will kill 2 opposing minis on tick 2… yes, TICK 2! We’ll call this team, CI-A (pronounced See Ya!), as they’ll be punting you immediately, and without reservation or regret.
ABCs:
Cleave
Cairne’s Thunderclap
Crusader’s Aura
Flash of Light
Master Tactician
Multishot
How’s this work? Simple really. This was originally play-tested on the Realms Championship map and had great success. If your opponent goes first, this still works, and sometimes, even better depending on their positioning. Here’s the game plan tick by tick:
Tick 1:
- Everyone comes in from both Warbands and ticks to tick 2.
Tick 2:
- Go first with Azarak and play Master Tactician.
- Using his main attack, attack the third mini (the one Carine won’t be attacking… you’ll follow me in a moment if you aren’t already)
- After your opponent goes, you then go with Illiana and play Crusader’s aura giving her and Cairne +1 movement this tick. You can now attack anyone, for 4 melee, and follow it up with a 4 holy due to Master Tactician from the previous move with Azarak, not a bad opening at all so far...
- Your opponent, not seeing his doom, may now come in... and...
- Finally, you can now move for 3 with Cairne, which on the Realms map gets you onto the hill in the center, or depending on placement should easily get you within a space that has two minis nearby. Play Cleave, roll 7 dice, turn one of your successes to a crit, and punt away.
Tick 3:
- Provide a tissue to your opponent to either dry their tears or clean up the mess around their chair because they just got the beat down.
Master Tactician offers you the ability to auto crit, which if you hit for a moderate amount of damage on the right mini(s) (Poor Kael’Thalas) on Cairne's attack will result in one, if not two punts, and 8, if not 12 VPs on tick 2, depending on who you punt off the board. There really is no greater pleasure than this. Seeing plastic carapaces of your opponent go flying off the board with one giant swing… well, let me get my evil genius hat on for one second and... bwahahahahahahahahah!
Is this sustainable? Proibably not. Is this competitive? One trick ponies usually aren’t. Is it fun? Hell yes!
With that in mind, I hope everyone enjoys their Realm championships this weekend. I’ll be covering some info on the Durotar Championships, so come back often to get updates, we’ll get them up as soon as we can. And please… HAVE FUN!
