NORTH EASTERN CADRE; CERSI 500!

STRAIGHT OUT'A....'borough...!

Middlesborough - Smogwalla land. An enchanting and beautiful place...

Well yeah not quite that gansta' - but traveling to and surviving a high octane afternoon in Smogsville is kinda of Gangsta... No? Hmm ok. Good point well made.

So North Eastern Cadre; Cersi 500! happened. Huzzah. This great gathering of Knights was hosted by Waugh Games. And a lovely up and coming venue it is. Nice Hobby store, brilliant service and fab tables.

Thanks to Brian at Waugh Games for putting up with us! 

Ninja Ben would be running this. Thank the gods he wasn't playing, the rest of us might have a chance...erm I mean, 'cos he's really good at organizing things... and runs a Cadre like a Boss.

Hes right - he is the boss...but all bosses fall ;)

Early Saturday morning the humble humble paragon of man that is Ninja Craig picked me up from home. I didn't at all sleep in for the gaming event of the month and he in know way had to bang on my door and wake the street up to get me out of be...not at all.

I didn't sleep through honest!

So super prepped and ready to go we set of for the trip up to the North east. My place of spawning, I felt good.

As always we rambled on endlessly about awesome cadre combinations and wish listing what goodness 'Void Break' would bring. You know, the usual. On our way we picked up the indomitable Snowy and his Black Diamond Cadre and raced to the Event.

cant wait for more to drop about this.

We got there in good time. And why would we? As I have already mentioned, I in no way slepts through 2 alarms that Morning.

After a little banter and greetings Ninja Ben made the draw... Now, I would have thought N.B would want to be in my good graces...apparently not. He drew me against Ninja Craig!

Now as many of you unfortunate enough to have been exposed to N.Gs Blog (rife with anti Black diamond and 'ME' propaganda, you would have heard inexhaustibly that we have a bit off a rivalry

* yes Ninja Craig we have a similar score, 2-1 and 1-2 and 2 wins is more then my 1...*

Magnus, Murder Inc. and Bretwalda

FINE! BRING IT ON, I ain't afraid of no - Wizard, girly types.  In all seriousness though, it was something I looked forward to. I had got N.G into this great hobby and really wanted to see his passion and skills and also to see just what the Doctrine were about and how he would play them as I had not had the pleasure of playing them my self.

The game was very tactical. He had speed in the guise of hired help from Cordelia (shame on you) and a great selection of boosts protecting his cadre from my brutal fire power.

In the opening move of the game I went full BRUTAL on him and of loaded a wall of lead the likes of which have never been seen at Delphyne... Oh yeah full on KNIGHT KILL mode.

But it was not to be his defences and boost were too great and died she did not, But I had ripped a serious chunk out of her.

Now I had placed the Life token on his minions, squishy things and it was something I knew I could probably deal with and shut down but with them lurking in the shodows of a boost I had to get face to face and personal with them. Cue Bretwalda the Diamond back Jet packing and charging straight at them for some axe play.

In the mean time, Cordelia had flew down the table in an attempt to get to my objectives and meddle with them, This stopped me being able to use Magnus (M-dawg) to get his life token down the board.

Leaving them both cancelling each other out over objectives as the game went on. It was pretty stalemated, every-time one of us was about to complete our missions the other cancelled it just in time, while in the background Bretwalda and Murder Inc. (Black Dragons and Sophia killed wand waving book worms for sport)

KILL!!

Now..less than 5 minutes to go, Sophia makes a break for it to the nearest objective and infuses it to look got the win my next turn. SKILLZ... Then N.G moves Cordelia up infuses my primary and declares he has got his objective and has a ton of point...WTF...OH dear... I had in typical style got carried away and lost focus, I had known Sophia had to do something to do with an objective...and had...so? But what failed to compute at the time was it had to be on N.Gs main objective..to counter it...but in my lazy sitting position I have blocked my line of sight to it by a massive crystal...Out of sight out of mind they say. Yup i failed my 'smarts' test and had just went for the other token not realizing I had in that moment failed. In the time left I just couldn't not get 5 points to draw let alone more to win. Well done me, well done...

I rock...

Well done Ninja Craig!

So - feeling a little miffed at my own inability to actually think, Ninja Ben did the draw...


NO WAY...to follow up being drawn against Ninja Craig he had followed up that gem by drawing me against Ninja Cy and his 'do gooder' Shattered Sword. (FIX!!) Now Cy with his Shattered Sword is like being repeatedly kicked in the stot's by an cantankerous  Hippo... He knows these Guys inside out along with Ninja Ben is the longest involved in Relic Knights and knows his shit!

Why Ben, WHY DO YOU HATE ME!

Cy took a brutal small Cadre against me and as it seemed to be the theme of the day also had Cordelia. I was beginning to think the whole multi dimension/universe parallel rift thing was being abused lol

Cy took Cordelia, Sebastian 'holier than thou' Cross and Navarre Hauer...great...

Now I got to place objectives first. In a stroke of pure genius (honest - not at all a pleasant mistake)
I got to place my primary in the very tight corner of our cross shaped science station on the board, leaving only an 70-ish mm access point to the rear of the objective. To my joy Simon could not replicate this as the other 3 similar points were well with in the minimum deployment restrictions for his objective..SNEAKY!

Cy's Shattered Sword

The game commenced, Cy had Cordelia in my back field to achieve objectives, but she ended the game in a continuous blocking action with Sophia and Murder Inc.  Bretwalda flew straight over to Ninja Cy's closest objective and went idle (oh yes force field activated) this ties down his Hauer from doing anything as he was protecting this objective.  So  it left Cy with Sebastion slowly traveling across the board and occasionally teleporting places with his troublesome little cypher.

Meanwhile Static, my cypher was no where to be scene and was being remiss in his job as Esper batter for Magnus! Where was he? That's right readers; he was behind my primary objective that was in the corner...perfectly block of any approach to it, using his indestructibility to deny it to any one.

Advantage Black Diamond. I started 'infusing' objectives much to Cys, consternation and then Sophia made a break for his Primary objective. We could smell Victory.

Ah an Idle Diamond back. Bretwalda is indestructible!

Despite the awesome Cadre Ninja Cy had assembled my use of positioning and idling the Diamond back on his secondary objective had shut sown the very real threat his cadre and his superior experience and skill posed to me.

With that the game ended in a draw. And against Ninja Cy - that's awesome. I will take that to the bank. Good game and lucky I did not get beaten into next week lol

So what next? Who would come to face me across the table? it was SNOWY! Hes a great chap and we had played in the Northern Cadre ran by Ninja Cy a few months previous, against his Cersi Cadre. In that came he had been painfully unlucky and I had been able to run amuck and white wash him as he just had Esper drought and could not even do anything to do well anything. In a game of luck this can happen to any one.

So I had a feeling this would be a reckoning. Especially as he brought a cadre with six Suspect 7! Ouch. Not only that...he had brought an impostor Magnus! I could not let this go especially with the abuse of the rift/paralells/universes already apparent in the multiple incursions of Cordelia in the area lol I put all else aside and I embraced the only possible course of action left open to any self respecting Crazed Black Diamond operative...

faaaasand's of  'em!

Snowy started the game dominating the game as his Suspects 7s coordinated display team went to work covering all objectives, Sophia and Murder Inc. went into zone protection mode but it would be a losing battle. Bretwalda in an attempt to shock and awe went to brutalize the impostor Diamond Corp troopers opposite him.

Sensing a kindred spark on the battlefield Magnus mad out to find it. Find it he did. A dark Shadowy figure opposite him bearing his features... of-course he had only one course of action left open to him... a brief flash matching the flare of the sun lashed out and we had KNIGHT KILL!!

Insult erased. This heralded the end for the impostor Black diamond incursion as Bretwalda dismembered Corp and Suspects alike.

Unlucky Snowy! Next time!

I felt by now that I was for the first time really starting to get to grips with the working of things and subtleties of this awesome game.

My last game was against one of our Northern Cousins from beyond the wall who had as if in a raiding party of old banded together with his kin's men to travel south to the perilous North East! Good lads, we really appreciate you guys making it and boosting the community.

So I would again be facing Doctrine commanded by Mark 'Border Marauder' Nisbet.

I could not let my self be distracted by pretty scenery again and loose lol

I had to destroy objectives. Good! Black Diamond like that sort of thing! I went straight for it, Bretwalda and Magnus going straight for both Doctrine secondary objectives. I expected a lot of pain from the Doctrine, And I was not wrong, the Noviates were dug in and threatening to flank Sophia and churning out potential Kill damage, thankfully I was able to shield it all.

This went on for a turn or two back and forth when out of no where Magnus and Bretwalda reported both objectives destroyed. giving me an almost unbeatable lead. The Doctrine with out me really realizing had been hemmed in and pinned back. Not really able to do anything to shift, me. Sadly they couldn't get kills and were pushed away from my objectives. Game over

Ninja Cy - Best Painted

And that was the end of the event, Ninja Cy was awarded best painted. Well done. There had been a clear winner. Andy and his Radiant Cadre had dominated the pack. A perfect score sheet I believe. Well done to him. Levels ahead of me lol

Brilliant tokens and support from Sarissa Precision, thanks!

My Brother Black Diamond player Craig (another one - incursions everywhere) had heroically bagged 2nd place, well done sire. So that really only left Ninja Cy or Ninja Craig to get 3rd.

Andy, dominated the day, well done

Craig - Brother Black Diamond Player 2nd

Our border marauder; Mr Nesbit. Honorable last.

But NO! Some how the True Magnus and his Cadre has prevailed some how giving me 3rd! I was very shocked, but more than happy to take that. :)

BOOM!! ME! Craig  - Thats me getting 3rd...

The Cersi 500! North Eastern Cadre had been an awesome day. We saw a lot of new face and people eager to play/learn and who love Relic Knights and this is what its all about right, good times, great banter and a great supportive community. Thank you all!



Now that leaves us two months to prepare for Midlands Cadre; 'Back to School' ran by my man and now life time rival Ninja Craig. Who knows what will happen in the meantime.

Up next, Be there or be square!

.Well done again guys and thanks to everyone who attended and made it a great day!


Well done on 3rd Ninja Craig...oh no hang on, I got 3rd didn't I? You got fourth. Well done on Fourth Ninja Craig. I will let you look u at my 3rd place all you like. Because well its better than 4th isnt it... Chin up chap...You could be me one day ;)

Craig... you get...

FIN!

NORTHERN CADRE A call to arms

I can in no way vouch or guarantee that what is to follow will make sense or in fact wont be anything more than rambling (as you may have come to expect by now) but if you are of a strong mind and solid moral fiber, please, feel free to continue reading.

For weeks now there have been rumblings and anticipation growing as dark clouds of pure awesome potential gather over the ancient Town of ...sorry! Ahem.....Gather over the ancient CITY of York.

From the hidden corners and holes beings of dark purpose and heroes of bright potential find them selves drawn to the place of testing; 'GUPIES'  So much power in one place is indeed a dangerous thing and only one will rise to the top and remain to claim the ultimate prize of NORTHERN CADRE MASTER!

Or...in the real world a  load of like minded awesome (not quite heroic types) people got together to get their Esper on! And what a day it was ;)

Northern Cadre was the first in what we hope to be many many more 'Cadre' events around the UK.
It was an Endless Hunger event. There's a load of eager gamer's out there just waiting for the chance to get their cadres out and throw down against one another to test their metal, more importantly who want to meet others in the community, have a laugh and buzz over the awesome game we have in our hands and all the stuff that will come with it in the future. Having a ton of cool guys you can meet up with and play and chill with is what its all about right? :)

So after a pleasant drive to york with Ninja Craig, talking about cadre builds, Anime tropes, combos, aethetics and more importantly Alex Louis Armstrong 'Gowan no Renkinjutsushi', we arrived at the venues of Northern Cadre,

Conversational gold!

Ninja Cy had awesomely arranged this and provided some massively swish scenery for us to battle on. Very cool stuff

What followed was an awesome day of people immersing them selves in the depths and fun of Relic Knights, for me though the day mainly consisted of  'why wont you DIE!, Just fall down, I've put a massive mecha driven axe in your bonnet! Fall down! - oh you have a technique that stops that and make me axe my self in the face...joy!'  You get the idea lol

I had the pleasure of seeing there two very old gaming friends from years gone by; Conrad and Andy. Who as luck (or something not at all like luck) would have it I ended up playing.


Now like any right minded upright honest to goodness type I had the slickest mercs in the Galaxy; The Black Diamonds. But so did half the field! Impostors all of them (obviously)

How Would my Jade Trouper Corp 'Brutal Delux' of the Black Diamonds fare?

Jade Troopers 'BRUTAL DELUX'

Boss Man Magnus - M Dawg

Black Dragons 'Murder Inc.'

Miss Drake and her boys

Ready to ruin!

My First game I had to face Conrad. He had brought a Black Diamond Cadre. This was going to be tough. My Cadre consisted of Leopold, Miss Drake, Bretwalda my Diamond Back and Murder Inc. my Black Dragons.

Conrad deployed; Suspect 7 (and suspect they bloody are as well!) Some Diamond Corp, Leopold (clearly a civilian cosplay impostor) Sophia Drake and some Black Dragons. He had more board presence and numbers/mobility.

It got worse from there, I had to kill him, Despite having the 'leet' Black Diamonds, killing stuff is tough and no matter how many burst rifle volleys or plasma axe whirlwinds I throw at him, Conrad's Cadre displayed in buckets the playground equivalent of  ''I know you are, but what am I?'  by successfully guarding against just about anything I could throw at him whilst his Suspects just ran around achieving objectives as if I wasn't there!  Next time!

So,after being shown that my Cadre was not quite as 'all about the brutal' as I thought, we went into there second match. This time I faced 'Snowy'.  He had the very speedy and elusive Cerci girls with a little prismatic back up. The  confidence level of my guys was not high.

However in a flash of pure unadulterated AWESOME (random luck) Sophia and Murder Inc (black Dragons) managed to show the Hell's bells there 'lead farmer' technique and sent a wall of unfriendly hurty metal their way and removed them from the universe. A very good start. About time my cadre started making good on the time money and resources spent on their training!  Snowy stayed focused and on plan infusing all the things he could, but when Sophia and Murder Inc got Knight Kill on the my 4th turn it was over as I capped out points, game over.

..Murder Inc. was heard to say...

Confidence restored I went into game 3 and was drawn against Andy.back in the day I had lucked out against Andy so many times in other games I was sure this would be a fun but very tough game especially as  was to play the shattered sword.

From the start it went wrong. I was basically for 5 or 6 turns griefed by a bloody minded out of his depth old man with an exotic pigeon and some shiny armour... Francis Malry...grade A git...
And this is how it went
 'I axe you in the face old man, behold the might of Bretwalda!'

 ' No, no - I think you'll find you are axing your self in the face chap...'

 'Eat lead old man - Im going to riddle you with rifle fire; Black Dragon style'

  'No, sorry, I think you'll find you are riddling your self Black Dragon Style...SHAZAM!

Out Wit..you say... Go F**k Yourself

Or this at least is how it felt  In a few turns he had took 9 HP of Bretwalda, 6 of Sophia and 4 of my Black Dragons. What a horrible horrible person Francis Malory is. I don't know how he sleeps at night...well with the fishes now I presume as Leopold showed him the zappy business end of his glowy staff! KNIGHT KILL BOOM have that!.

Icing an Old honourable man... nailed it!

 Once I have got passed him, Bretwalda and the Murder Inc, took his fancy armoured jet back totting boys to pieces in short order with out loosing a single man.

So when his last remaining misguided do gooder infused his third objective I thought 'no biggie, he has three points, I have 5 and i can freely infuse all the objectives I need or just kill the wounded Navarre Hauer, Andy looked at me rather smugly with a glowing aura of satisfaction as he declare he had won...

...

Er, What now.... I mean I have just rained pain on you. This is when he pointed out the fact, one which had some how utterly escaped my brain, that we had on top of everything else drew the Crystal harvest...of which he had achieved pretty much straight away. In my Stompy mecha lust I had clean forgot. AAAARG!

Great game though despite my stupid lol

At the End of the day I had only 1 win but three fantastic enjoyable games. And that's what its about isnt it?

LOOTZ of which the trophies Ninja Cy hand made!

All that remained was the placings and prize givings. And some lovely loot there was as well for those doing well.  The Masterful Ninja Ben, somewhat unsurprisingly I think took the day with his Prismatic/Shattered Sword Cadre. Well done to him and well done to everyone else for making it a great day.

All Hail Ninja Ben; The Conquering Hero! Grats

There will be many more days like it. Prepare your self!
I demand you all be there, DEMAND!!


Spent...