In the Finest Hour Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, the hosts talk about their tournament philosophies- how to approach a tournament, what to expect from yourself, and what to prepare for depending on how you think you may do at the event.

In this episode, we don't scream as loudly as possible into the microphone, deafening everyone who listens. You're welcome!

How do supplements affect the game, and are they good or bad? How should GW handle them in the future? Our hosts discuss the matter.

We interview our guest for the episode about Knights, how to play them, and how to beat them as well as their role in the meta.

Practice games (and tournament games) are important for getting better, but you won't improve from that practice unless you are able to accurately understand what happened during the game and what went right or wrong. In that respect, taking notes during the game can be a tremendous help, giving you a better (and more permanent) recollection of what went down and how your game plan succeeded or failed. In this episode, we talk about different methods of taking notes, including both paper and electronic media as well as photos and video, and what sorts of things you should pay attention to when detailing the game. We also look at how and when to go back to your notes, how your opponent can help you, and the methods each of the hosts prefer for their note-taking.

Being able to write a good list is one of the most fundamental aspects of playing Warhammer 40K; your list is the toolbox that you bring to the table, and so defines what it is you're capable of during a game. But contrary to what the internet may sometimes tell you, writing a list is much more than just choosing the six most efficient units and fielding as many of them as possible. So how do you go about approaching the process of writing- and rewriting- a list? In this episode, we talk about the process that the hosts use; where we start, how we make cuts, and how we analyze our lists for success or failure after a game. We also look at the sort of solutions you want to have access to, what to think about when considering balancing yourself against the meta, and the tradeoffs you'll have to make as part of the process. And, of course, we talk about the cardinal rule of list design: Boyz Over Toyz.

If you play at tournaments, sooner or later you are going to run into a bad matchup- the one army that you just aren't prepared to face. But being able to power through disadvantageous situations is one of the biggest indicators of a skilled player, so this episode we talk about how to identify such matchups and what you can do about them. We discuss the ways to look at things during all phases of the encounter- from when you write your list to the game itself to post-game considerations and what lessons you should take away from your performance. There's a lot you can do to mitigate bad odds in a matchup, but it all starts with understanding the hows and whys.

As competitive players, we like to focus a lot on the upper strata of the game- what the best players are doing, which lists are finishing top 4, etc. But the reality is that by definition most players do not play at the top tables, they play at the middle tables instead. This episode, we discuss what sorts of obstacles you'll face if you're sitting in the middle of the pack, the unique concerns that you should be thinking about, the types of players you're likely to see, and ways you can work towards your goals even if you aren't going undefeated. It's middleriffic!

The most recent FAQ for the rulebook and GT mission pack changed a lot of things- most notably including how missions are scored and the wording on several of the secondaries. Our three hosts take a look at what these changes may mean for the game as well as where they think it will push the meta in the upcoming weeks. We also discuss the other changes from the FAQ as well as some more general thoughts about the meta of 9E.

While most players are pretty familiar with the different phases of the game, one stands out amongst the others as being a common tripping-up point- the psychic phase. Being that it is the most unusual of the phases (and the one that it's very possible to simply not participate in if you don't take the right units), it should be no surprise this is the case; however, psykers can unlock some incredibly powerful options for many armies and even if you don't use them yourself, it's pays to know how to fight them. This episode, we call on the collected psyker experience of all three hosts to talk about what to think about when you're considering adding a psyker, how to best counter enemy psykers, proper order of spellcasting, common pitfalls of using psykers, and why killing your enemy with mind bullets from five hundred yards is the cool new trend of 9E.