40K is not a Beer and Pretzels game

   Every time I read that 40K is a Beer and Pretzels game it makes me think that the person who said that probably plays little 40K at all or never bothered to learn from their failures. I don't know anyone who has played a lot of 40K and thinks that 40K is a simple game. I know quite a few tournament veterans and most of these people have a win rate of 85% or higher. Many of these players win practically every game they play and most of their losses are from other Vets.

   In 40k there is quite a bit of luck considering it is a game using dice. Usually games of skill that involve an element of luck are attractive to newer or weaker players. Unlike a game like chess they can occasionally beat an opponent who is much more skilled. This is the one of the big reasons people like to play poker. One thing that commonly occurs in games with luck is the weaker players end up complaining about the game since they cannot find lasting success, if any at all. Sometimes they get lucky but generally their lack of preparation and understanding make them an underdog in more of their games of 40k than games where they are the favorite to win. 40K is a prime example of this phenomenon. Frustrated by a failure to become adept at the game many players will attempt to deride the quality of it by that statement above or something equivalent.

   Here is an example of how a Vet can make decisions that will increase his win % far above that of an average player. Let's say the Vet goes second against a less experienced opponent with a solid IG list. I bet a lot of people think that doesn't sound like fun but in truth it can be a great opportunity to play a game skillfully and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Since the beginning of 5th edition you can start in reserves shortening the game dramatically and that is what our Vet will do. This gives the Vet the advantage of greater control in regards to how the units will interact in the few turns remaining. The Vet can see where his opponent is and if there is good terrain can bring his units on where his opponent has very limited lanes of fire, often in cover or using things like smoke launchers or psychic cover saves. The vet will have to weather fewer turns of fire and may be able to knock out some units before they ever fire a single shot. If the Vet is playing a list with mobility ranging from excellent to outstanding(as he should be) then he should do well in nearly any scenario even if he is facing a slightly bad match-up or game condition. In this commonly occuring example we can see that a skilled player has a great degree of control over a game with quite a bit of luck in it. Vets are at war with luck. Certainty is their friend.

     The key to frequent victory is preparation. Here are a few ways that Vets derive an edge that is so large that they can be confident of almost never losing more than one game in a tournament as long as 5 or even more games. This is significant too because they generally play a fellow Vet in rounds 4 or 5 yet still generally only take 1 loss.
 
1) Knowledge - Reading all the army books. Not knowing what your opponent can do is the best way to court defeat. Talking strategy with friends/reading forums or blogs to find new lists and tactics. I suggest reading all the codexes and then read one of them every month to stay fresh.

2) Math - if you know the average amount of damage your squad will do to another in hth or shooting or the chance of killing a tank with one of your armies guns than you will know where you stand in a game. Many costly mistakes are made by newer players that they could have avoided by doing some simple math. If you aren't good at doing it in your head use the calculator on your computer.

3) Playtest - Playing games to see how to solves games and situations, not just to see who is the winner. Next time you are playing a game with a friend and it ends on 5 ask them to play it out to see how it would end on 6 and even 7. If you can find a partner playtesting games by suggesting optimal plays to each other is very helpful way to increase your skill. It also makes the occasional "real" game against them very satisfying.

4) Mental Playtesting - Consider how your army will do against common builds or armies you regularly face. This is easy to do when you have a simple task like highway driving, exercise or before going to bed. Consider how you will do going first and second in different deployment types. This can help you develop counter strategies to troublesome units. 

   Like anything in life you get out what you put in, or as I prefer to "In Project Mayhem, you decide your own level of involvement." Try these yourself if you would like to increase your level of skill. Being prepared to win makes it alot easier than trying to figure out how to do so on the fly. It also means you can afford to drink more beer while you play.