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Outriders updates are often of great size and length, but this one huge in more ways than one. Particularly because well over 400 players have ALREADY taken part in a GBHL event this year - more than the number who took part in many of the league's earliest seasons.
In just two months the Great British Hobbit League's 2023 season has roared into action bringing 14 events (4 of which being premium GBHL100s) the introduction of a team championship, the announcement of the GBHL Masters event, the very first GBHL90s & around 400 people competing in a GBHL tournament.
In the last outriders post we brought you detail of the first month's action but left off one of the biggest events in the league.
Cardiff's premier event Into the West took place in the final weekend of January and offered 100 league points to someone able to beat a huge crowd of 104 players to the top spot.
Into the West is one of the smallest points value tournaments in the league at 450 pts and gives players the option of bringing Good & Evil or just one faction. This year it also saw the introduction of a mini-team format to encourage friendly competition between groups of fellow travellers alongside a long standing tradition of secret objectives.
In hobbying, Gareth Richards proved most sporting competitior and Sean Creed's incredible painting impressed the field.
In the fisticuffs, Scott Haslam came third with a very unusual list - The Witchking and Khamul from Dol Guldur alongside 7 castellans of Dol Guldur. This 9 model list at 450 certainly has killing power (Castellans are S5 with two attacks at F5) but can be very swingy with its durability - the castellans Will of Evil and Will of the Necromancer rules can see Castellans swing from mighty to mere puffs of cloud in a few turns. It's very impressive to see a list like this do so well at a massive event - well done to Scott. Joining Scott on the podium is his brother in arms - and literal brother - Ben Haslam.
Ben's Easterling force uses Rutabi and Brorgir alongside solid blocks of warriors with only a small smattering of Kataphrakts, and Black Dragons & Dragon Cult Acolytes for their F4. But with 29 models, at mostly D6, and two very good heroes at 450, it's no suprise to see it do well.
But coming in pole position is Jay Acharya - not long after reaching the World final at Ardacon against Jay Clare last year Jay A is proving his ability with a variety of lists. Then it was Rivendell Knights but here it was a solid block of Uruk Hai doing the work. That's right,the dreaded Assault on Helm's Deep took the top spot - with 29 models, one ballista, 8 Crossbows, 1 Bezerker and a partridge in a pear tree.
Much has been discussed about the Assault on Lothlorien - but in the GBHL, it's the Assault on Helm's Deep which keeps making it to podiums and top spots. Though it's worth adding, it is - once again - in the hands of a very experienced and talented player.
Next, to the 7th City Grand Prix hosted in a Baronial Hall at a Derbyshire Hotel. Another GBHL100, T.O Will Champion hoped it would be the most competitive event in the GBHL calendar. With its format, which saw players seeded into different leagues on day 2, it certainly allowed people to play against people of their skill level throughout the tournament - to make games feel as tight as possible.
The setting and 'Holiday Camp' feel to proceedings also made for an all round great advert for what gaming events can be - a social gathering as well as toy soldier tournament!
First we must celebrate "Old Dave" (David Chambers) who made the trip from Ireland to compete, and took home Most Sporting award. If anyone's ever met this gentleman over the tabletop they'll certainly not be surprised he's won this coveted award.
Next was the winner of the best painted award - and Aidan Lummer once again pushed his brush to extraordinary feats with his Beorning's force. It has featured before in this blog, and will no doubt make a return in the future but it undoubtedly impresses at the tabletops - a natural palette but complimented perfectly by the carefully crafted bases and objectives, it's a beautiful army.
Then to the gaming, although there were many winners in various different pods across the multi-skilled event only three came home with the top prizes. In third, Jakub Krochmal who was just shy of the top table position he'd held most of the weekend with his Goblin Town horde. At 600pts he managed to squeeze in 74 models alongside the Goblin King and Gollum. And many games he had even more on the table with the help of the goblin scribe. A terrifying prospect against such a fearsome opponent. In second, David Farmer whose trusty Cirith Ungol legion held him in good stead once again. He rarely leaves home without Shagrat and here, accompanied by 39 models including Shelob, he has once again shown both his quality as a general and perhaps how underated that legion is. But in poll position, last year's best newcomer, it is Jake Rawson. Showing he's not just a flash in the pan by cementing his position as one of the league's finest players. Eschewing his usual favourite of Lothlorien for the mighty Hunter Orcs, he overwhelmed his opponents with 42 models, most of which S4 with two attacks. It's a tough ask to counter such a wave of orcy terror - well done Jake, who walked away as the proud owner of a Smaug!
Moving onto the Rain on the Mountain, one of the many events held in the south already this year. This 42 player event once again saw Sean Creed crowned as the best painter in a crowded room. This time his Mahud army complete with display board and dramatic bases showed off the sculpts and conversions in his force. Sean also walked away with Most Sporting in the event too, clearly it was his weekend!
In the gaming side of things, TO Dewi Evans introduced something not often seen in events to add some spice - the weather. No, he didn't install the gaming tables outside during the height of the wiltshire winter, but with the help of a weather chart and a 2D6 roll at the start of each game, there would be a variety of effects as well as each round happening under different lighting conditions (Dusk and Dawn had a random number of Nightfighting turns). With these rules in mind, it's interesting to note the 600pt forces which came top, notably none of the super shooty forces. In third, Sean White's Iron Hills force, led by Thorin on a goat, in second George Harrold took an unusual alliance of Theoden and Royal Guard with a one-drop of Aragorn Elessar, but in first was a magical Mordor list piloted by Arash Hussein. The triple magical threat of the Witchking, Mouth of Sauron and Muzgur clearly did enough work stopping enemy big hitters to allow its Morannon orc horde to do the real knife work. Excellent work from all the players - and to Dewi who's clearly landed on an interesting format which freshened up the meta for gaming.
Next to what I believe is the first event (hopefully of many) named after something featured in Rings of Power. Nobody Goes Off Trail saw 20 players compete at 650pts in Pontefract. First, well done to Stuart Blucke whose lovely Rohan force took away the Best Painted award. Clearly a Labour of love, with such fine detailing on shields and banners but also fantastic to see some rarely seen models as part of the force. I for one am a big fan of the King'a Huntsman model. Great to see him Grace the tabletops and painted to such a high standard.
Next, let's congratulate Tom Marsh who took home Most Sporting - the hobby is a game after all and if people are helping to make your event more pleasurable with good natured banter or a smile I'm all for giving them a prize!
But on the podium, Tom Armo took 3rd for his 41 model Isengard force. Nice to see an unusual (not legion!) list take the tourney by storm. With Lurtz, Vrasku and Mauhur leading a mixed bag of mostly warriors (plenty of crossbows!), fast moving scouts, three Bezerkers, Crebain and a lonely Huscarl, this is far from conventional. But look carefully and you see a list crafted with an answer to most challenges an army could face. I'd love to see it on the tabletop.
2nd was a Mordor Serpent Horde alliance which United Suladan and the Witchking once more. With 36 models, including a Numenorean line backed by Morannons as well as plenty of plain orcs led by Zagdush it's again nice to see a non-legion force so so well. Adam Sierens, who piloted it, must have been doing something right!
But in First, leading Five Eagles into battle (including Radagast on one!) was Bobby Ramsey. It's great to see such a swingy list land on top of the podium! Eagles are to be feared for sure, but it takes a great deal of skill to fly home with victory with such a small force, well done to Bobby, no doubt this Tourney will be just another feather in his cap.
Next to one of the biggest tournaments on the GBHL calendar, and Games Workshop's official competitive SBG event The Warhammer World Grand Tournament. It remains one of the few events on the GBHL calendar which still forces both players to take Good and Evil armies to face-off in epic thematic battles at 700pts.
But First we need to admire the incredible hobby skills on display, Robert Burton's two display boards of Mahud and Dwarves took home the best Army Awards, but the skills on display were simply stupendous.
The hobbying standard was truly outstanding - check out The GBHL's instagram page for more pics.
Also we must give a shout out to hobby hero Damian O'Byrne who once again proved himself to be one of the friendliest players in Middle Earth by taking home Best Sporting at the GT. Anyone who's played him will know how much fun it is so will be unsurprised to hear he's taken this award to add to his groaning shelf of Hobbying, Gaming and Sporting awards.
To the tabletops now, where players truly tested their mettle in the Good Vs Evil setting, there were some huge names of the SBG world from all over Europe in attendance, including German battle axe Pascal Wibbe, Italian Maestro (and Ardacon Runner Up) Tommaso Zerbi, the two mighty Jays (both Clare and Acharya) who've proven themselves time and again at major events and Rowan May and Ryan Gregory who fought so epically over Best Newcomer in 2020/21.
But none of these titans of the tabletops managed a podium position, highlighting the fierce competition. Making it onto that coveted podium though was Nicky Myland, who took the Easterling's Dragon Legion with all the new Forgeworld heroes. A solid 40 models, including one mounted model (the drummer of course) helped Nicky to third alongside his Thror and Dain alliance proving there's very little that can crack through 38 models at D7 or above!
In Second, Kalman Steels-Wright's Helms Deep themed forces held true. The defenders included Theoden, Gamling, Aldor, Haldir and Legolas in a 32 model force which leant into the ranged firepower meanwhile the Assault... Also leant into the ranged firepower of two vomit inducing ballistae, 8 Crossbows alongside a bomb for good measure.
But none could pass the mighty Ed Ball, a regular GT winner over the years and returning once again to the throne he kept warm for many years. In typical Ed fashion he chose to use a limited number of models for his armies. His Beorning force had 17 models (including the two big bears)
and his evil force had 8 of "The Nine". You can find out some of his thought processes behind the army builds on The Warhammer Community site - but well done to Ed!
CURRENT GBHL PODIUM:
Aaron Pullen
Jay Acharya
Stephen Denbigh
Team Rankings:
The Guardians From Distant Lands
The Guardians
Gollum's Gamers
There have been many more events since then which we will catch up with in an upcoming blog (this was was... delayed).
But I should flag up the extraordinary work being done by the League Committee's social media guru (and Central Regional Rep) Gethin Watkins. He's breathed life into the league Instagram Account @gbhl_official and is regularly updating with Social Media friendly league updates (i.e short attention span!). It's great work and really helps deliver the news promptly unlike these essay like posts I work on. Pop on over there and give it a like, and let us know if you prefer that kind of communication or these bigger info dumps!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
We'll talk more about the 2023 league soon, but in the meantime check out the calendar of events here, read the army lists mentioned above here, and check where you are in the placings for both gaming and Hobbying here!
Until Next time, may this hobby be a light for you when all other lights go out.
BURARUM - HARRY - GBHL Marketing CoOrdinator
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