I think I may have talked myself into a hole with my throw down to use Bugs for the Nova. There are a couple of reasons for it so let me illuminate you onto the issues I'm currently having fufilling my statement on what I'm going to run for Nova.
Issue #1 - The List!
I can't for the life of me make a 1,750 Nid army I'm happy with. 1,500? Certainly! 2,000? Most Definitely! But 1,750 seems to be the bane of what I'm looking for in a Nid list. I can't properly mix my fast units with my ranged units and I can't tuck in the resiliency I normally like to see in my bug lists. Normally I don't fret the army building portion to much, relying on myself to make up an short comings I might have in the list. But on Friday I'll be playing against some of the more solid players that can make it in the country. Add in the fact that the bane of most of my armies in the form a Venom Spam DE is definitely going to be there an pilotted by my co-author. And he has a tendency to go pretty far which increases my chance at running into my bane and to be honest it's the only army I play that I'd worry about Dash's list.
Issue #2 - The Prize/Cost!
This is the Invitational. The first event to have a solid cash prize for both Overall and Best General (Or Ren. Man and Tournament Champ). I'm spending, probably all told weekend, a significant amount to fly myself and my wife out. I can wave away a fair amount of what I'm spending because I'll be driving down to see my amazing Granny and Papa for a day or two before heading back home and I can wave away some more of it since it's the wife coming. But can I wave away my best chance at winning 1k based on what is for all intensive purposes an internet boast?
Issue #3 - The Army & Paint Job!
I'm just not happy at all with the current paint job on my Nids. This has more to do with the Nova format than my normal issues. With the Nova format painting this year will be 50% of your Ren. Man score. Now my Nids have only a few conversions and looking at it honestly my Nids are table-top quality and no higher. What does this mean? That I'm unlikely to pick up Ren. Man with them if I lose a game. So the ability to take a loss but still have the potential to win Ren. Man is largely gone which would mean I would have to be the undefeated player to walk away with a prize. While winning isn't everything this event is the kind of event that I go into to win it and my paint job just isn't going to help with that.
Issue #4 - Transportability!
So my wife and I, we're flying to DC. Not that a 20+ hour drive doesn't sound fun but it'll just be a bit easier. This means that I have to consider what I'm bringing and how. Now I can take 2 carry-ons about the size of a small Army Transport. I haven't had time to sit down and design a Battle Foam bag with for my bugs and it's way to late to get one ordered now. My bugs take up a lot of space. The big bugs fill up 4"-5" foam. All my small bugs and my mid-sized bugs. My plan was to bring 2 armies to Nova. Basically to make assuade my army ADD and to give me an option if at the last minute I change my mind. It also gives me some options for the Whiskey Challenge against Purg and possible open gaming (I'm not crazy!!!!). So with this adding up and the bugs I'd need for both my 2k and possible 1750 lists I don't see how I'd manage to transport them adequately.
Issue #5 - Army ADD
I can't for the life of me lock down a bloody list for Nova. I can't even lock down a codex. My brain is all awash with excitement and I come up with a fun and new list at least twice a day. Thank god most of them are unattainable with it this close or god help me I might try building them. Overall though I just can't concentrate and can't really get excited about painting stuff for my Bugs. And my Bugs would need some work and concentration to get finished and ready.
Conclusion:
Congrats on getting this far if you did. If you did you'll realize I just wrote an extensive article as an excuse not to run Nids for the Nova Invitational. If transport can be worked out I'll bring them for the actual Nova Open GT. If not then I'll be playing something else. Could be Space Wolves, Grey Knights, Daemons, Blood Angels, Deathwing, BT's, or maybe even my IG. I don't have time to paint my Orks or finish converting my DE so those are both out. We'll just have to see.
