40k List-Tech: Adepticon Champion Aaron Aelong!

Today on List-Tech we have a very special treat for you guys! I got a chance to pick the mind of Adepticon 2016 winner Aaron Aelong and his Deathwolf Star. For more great articles check out our Tactics Corner!

The list-tech segment is a series of articles designed to focus on unique, competitive lists crafted by established players in the community in order to provide new and experienced players with tactics, tips, and tricks to use in the heat of battle.

“Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win”

― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

The Questions

1. Tell us a little bit about your army, why did you go with certain units? Why did you pick this army list in particular? Is there anything special about your army that you want to highlight?
2. What expectations did you have for the meta? Were there any armies you were worried about? What match-ups did you feel most comfortable with?
3. Hindsight is 20-20 and looking back on the Adepticon was there anything you would have changed about your list to better accommodate the meta you experienced?
4. What are some tips or tricks you have for people who might want to start using your army?
5. We heard there was an issue with your list, What was it?
6. How did the Adepticon judges handle the situation?
7. What was your overall impression of the Adepticon tournament in general?
8. How did your list change from the LVO list you brought to the top 8, to your Adepticon list?

CAD – Dark Angels

Chaplain: Bike, Fist, Lightning Claw

Ravenwing Command Squad: 2x Corvex Hammers, 3x Plasma Talons, Champion w/Blade of Caliban, Apothecary, Ravenwing Banner

Scouts: 1x Sniper

Scouts: 1x Sniper

Azrael

Champions of Fenris Detachment

Iron Priest: TW mount, Thunder Hammer, Runic Armor, 4x Wolves

Iron Priest: TW mount, Thunder Hammer, Runic Armor, 4x Wolves

Lone Wolf: Power Armor, Melta Bomb

Lone Wolf

CAD – White Scars

Techmarine: Bike

Bike Squad

Scouts: 5x snipers

Allied Detachment – Blood Angels

Sanguinary Priest: Bike, Fist, Claw

Scouts

Librarius Conclave – White Scars

Librarian: Bike, Lv. 2

Librarian: Bike, Lv. 2

Librarian: Lv. 2

Librarian: Lv. 1

Aaron Aelong’s list and the Adepticon 2016 meta is a testament to the nastiness 7th edition brings to the game. The tournament was covered with ranged D shots, unkillable deathstars, and massive amounts of cheap, deadly obsec units. It was a truly hardcore experience and the fact that Aaron Aelong made it all the way to the top playing at a disadvantage (more on that below) is a testament to both his skill as a player, and his lucky ability to dodge 6’s.

1. I have always loved assault ever since I started at the end of 4th edition. When 6th started everyone said assault was dead. I have been building assault style lists since 4th and desired to keep on with it. When I build any list, it has to beat my last list. It also has to stand up to what i believe to be the strongest codex: Chaos Daemons. Playing against what I consider the best three daemon players on the world on a semi regular basis, I needed a list that could hang with the warp. (Nick Nanavati, Justin Curtis, and Alan Bajramovic). The list I built started from a concept from Justin that I developed into the “Thunderdome” I developed it to be able to handle daemons first, then eldar spyder/scat bike spam. The final change came after I played Frankie Giampapa and Julio Rodriguez at Nova in 2015 and realized how I had to change to be able to deal with gladius.
2.  The top three are still the toughest matchups. Daemons first, eldar 2nd, and gladius third. Obviously a mirror match is always tough. I played 4 eldar armies that were similar. Double WK, scat bikes, and spyders. I’m hoping people will venture out into other armies. There are so many great options. I’ve been making lists with sisters in it and think they can be a part of some great lists.
3. One sniper rifle off the list. Besides that I feel the list was perfect for the missions and composition. Every model in my Adpeticon list had a role to play.
4. Alot of people look at the list and have 2 trains of thought.”That’s it?””All you do is run forward and kill stuff” Both of these are inherently incorrect. Thus army is very difficulty to master. Yes it can have invisibility and is great on close combat, but I believe this is harder to play than all of my other GT winning lists.                Aaron playing Matt Root in the finals.
5. When building my list, which I primarily use army builder, I used adepticon’s composition rules to build a list with 5 sources. The blood angel’s codex that came out in 2014 has somehow gome nearly 2 years without anyone realizing there is an error in the code in reference to the Sanguinary priest. The Sang priest doesn’t come with a bolt pistol (I was unaware of this). I felt I needed more Powerfist attacks and so I bought a fist and a lightning claw for the Sang priest. Army builder allows the purchase were normally it wouldnt. When I was complete with the list I was at 1848 points. (or so I thought) I knew I would be short 2 Points due to the 63 mam bike squad. I decided to add a sniper rifle to two dark angels sniper scout squads just because. Unfortunately this made my list actually 1851. If I wouldn’t have added the sniper rifles the list would have been legal. (1849) I take full responsibility for the error. I am not makin excuses. The fact that I never fired them doesn’t matter. The list was 1 point over.
6. During the 6th round, the judge running the champs made a decision to remove the obsec scout squad before they came on from outflanking the table giving my opponent double kill points for that unit. After the round Chris the head TO pulled me aside. Showed me the written policy and questioned me about the list and what happened. He stated he doesn’t feel it was intentional as this is a very unique situation. He showed me the rule that the illegal model would have to be removed for any further games. I’m round 7 and 8, I played 120 points down versus my last two opponents.
7. It is always a great event. Very classy and well organized. I know they have taken responsibility for the error, but I am also at fault. And again I apologize for any inconvenience I have caused.
8. With LVO I could only take 3 sources. The lvo list actually had more shooting.  But the Adpeticon list was more resilient in late game.