This Week in the ITC: Interview with 7th Place in the World Bethany Taylor!

Hello, fellow Warhammer 40k fans! SaltyJohn from TFG Radio, and one of the Las Vegas Open Head Judges, here to bring you another article reviewing the ITC Standings for the 2019 season with the new scoring method in place.

Ok, no funny memes or sly half baked jokes this week to start us off! We have far too much to talk about. As everyone knows the ITC as it is today, and many gaming systems competitive scenes wouldn’t exist without Best Coast Pairings. This week to start us off I have a quick update on some new stuff from Best Coast Pairings, and after that, an interview with top-ranked the UK and European player, and 7th best overall in the world right now, Bethany Taylor! First here is an update from Paul at BCP.

“Lots of stuff in the works as always, but the biggest things are that over the weekend we launched new support for team events so that we support the ETC and ATC format perfectly. It worked out incredibly at battle for salvation. Event suite has been going crazy. That’s our 3rd app that is geared toward making it easy for a store, convention or club manage multiple TOs, and run their own rankings. We give them web plugins for their own page or provide a website if they don’t already have one. Game Empire Pasadena is signing up for example. We have added location-based event search to both versions of the player app so it’s even easier to use the app to find events close to you. Outside of that BCP is running over 200 events a week now and growing, so it’s easier than ever to find an event. Cause they are all on BCP!”

Best Coast Pairings is an amazing tool for TOs in many gaming systems, not just Warhammer 40k. If you run any competitive events or leagues, at all I suggest you check it out!

Bethany Taylor has been on a tear so far this season being top-ranked in both Europe and the UK so far, as well as 7th overall in the ITC. Bethany graciously agreed to be my first interview of the year with this series of articles.

 

How long have you been playing 40k? How long have you been playing it competitively?

Playing casually for 2 years and been playing competitively for just over a year now.

What got you into the hobby originally?

My Friends.

What is your favorite part about playing 40k competitively? example: do you enjoy list theory, math hammer, the competition, the camaraderie, your team, etc?

I think I enjoy all aspects equally such as list building as this is fun because you find really stupid things like 240 grots lists I mean imagine the waaargh! I love working with numbers so math-hammering is great too but for me, the thing I enjoy most is the camaraderie and the social aspects getting to meet and play new players and make new friends and seeing the game from everyone else’s perspective.

If you’re on a team, what role does your team play in your competitive 40k life? Is it a support mechanism, a sounding board, just a group of friends? Etc.

I have only ever played on a team once and that was with 2 close friends for an event at element games and that one time has always reminded me this hobby is great as a solo player but it is even better when you get a chance to play as a team together with your friends.

What is your take so far on the ITC and BCP now that it’s several seasons in?

I think the evolution of BCP and ITC has been a great asset to the game as well as other gaming systems and has allowed many LGS’s a chance to bring the competitive scene to those who may have been too worried to jump in the deep end and play much-seasoned players but now they can play locally and not be too worried about the environment being too much for them.

What do you attribute your success so far this season to the most?

The community as a whole from when I first started I would barely do well I would continuously ask (and sometimes maybe pester too much) for advice how I could get better what I could change and with this, I have adapted my playstyle over time.

How do you prepare for events, big and small? Do you have a routine or regimen?

I always arrive a day early or 2 to make sure I get used to the area and to provide I am well rested, on the day of the event I always watch that one scene from cool runnings with yule and junior in the bathroom talking about pride it just sets mood for the day and empowers me. This is then followed up by the healthiest of meals a MacDonald’s sausage and pancakes breakfast and it then day one of the event

What faction do you play? Why?

So I currently play ad mech with dark angel allies this list has been great and have played it since the start of the season it has taught me about how to play the game much broader then any previous armies. I have had to learn techniques such as screening, wrapping, and target priority and playing the mission.

You currently are ranked high in the UK, my audience is primarily based in the US, could you tell us a little about the 40k competitive scene in the UK and the ITC there?

The 40k competitive scene for ITC in the UK has really sparked since last year’s season there is never a weekend when there is not an event happening. This is now giving players a chance to do well if they can not afford to travel as much as others to the LVO or the LGT as there should always be something for all to attend and get up the rankings.

Huge shout out again to Bethany for agreeing to take the plunge and be my first interview for this season. Before we go I wanted to drop a quick update for you on the Team Rankings. Beast Coast is once again on top of the pile, but only just! Let me know what you thought in the comments!

And remember, Frontline Gaming sells gaming products at a discount, every day in their webcart!