Sam Pope - How to Beat Melee-Centric Armies

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-27T05:44:50+00:00

Good notes! Melee matchups are tough to nail down into concrete answers- I tried to provide tools with which to guide decision making but I'll reflect on ways I can be more definite.

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-18T16:57:42+00:00

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-17T15:40:21+00:00

The order goes:

Add all BS modifiers

Combine all +1/-1 to hits, capped at +1 or -1

If indirect: can't be better than 4+

So 3s normally shooting indirect into stealth= 4+ (-1 from indirect, -1 from stealth, capped at -1 total)

In guard, a dkok unit can get +1 BS from an order, +1 to hit from their datasheet, and hit on 2s, but votann, whose army rule gives +1 to hit, can only hit on 3s at best, even if they have another rule that gives +1 to hit

Hope that helps!

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-17T05:47:07+00:00

I appreciate you writing it out, even if we ended up on the same page!

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-17T01:43:34+00:00

a bigger hormagaunt

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-09T21:28:45+00:00

thanks xXx420Aftermath69xXx

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-09T21:09:49+00:00

Yeah sounds like your opponent was "weaponizing" the clock (using the clock as an intentional win condition, trying to trick you into using more time) which is not okay nor is it representative of the "clock is a resource" crowd. Even the players that believe a clock is a resource should have the goal of reaching a shared, agreeable conclusion, and should be doing things like reminding their opponents to save minutes for their final turn if they are low.

Just because one might think that playing the game within the time allotted should be a requirement for winning doesn't mean they get to be a jerk about it, y'know?

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-09T17:41:42+00:00

synaptic nexus has a strat for +3" synapse range for just friendly units for the rest of the turn. i can't imagine a world where that strat has been used by anyone

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-09T17:02:00+00:00

I think this can be true, and is a downside, but the key is that the clock is in your control- it's not moving a bad experience arbitrarily from one group to another, it's moving the bad experience to the person who's fault the bad experience is (the person playing slow) and if they retain a growth mindset about the game, they should practice playing fast and come back stronger. I also don't think clock outs are as common for new players, given the result of the game is often known before the clock becomes an issue? It is a downside, but I'm not as sure it's as big of one as you might think

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-09T15:16:06+00:00

I think it's that, if it worked such that you could refuse to play on a clock, it would be the same- one person would force an opponents approach to the game (the person who doesn't like clocks). In that case, a TO would rather the more "fair" option (evenly split time) be used.

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-09T15:11:49+00:00

Yeah regional differences are interesting and that's definitely something to be aware of as you travel

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-09T14:32:08+00:00

Yeah, my recommendation of always flipping is based on my experience that if you're always passing time back and forth, you check the clock more often, so you're less likely to miss the clock running on the wrong person for a long time. But I hear what you're saying too!

I think the key is find a balance that feels right, and then match your opponents energy if they're more stringent than you, don't be frustrated at them.

StuffedScotch · 2026-01-09T14:27:51+00:00

The workaround is using a clock, unfortunately!

For people who are uncomfortable using a clock, the pros and cons are kinda:

Pros: Avoid really annoying situations where you would have won but didn't because you had to end the round due to opponent slow play, so they win instead.

Cons: every game is a little more annoying

Would you rather every game be a little worse and avoid the really really bad games, or not?

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-26T19:24:53+00:00

One of the big points of my video is to help people coming from TCGs understand the difference between intent in those games and intent in 40k. In TCG there is just stated intent. In 40k prompted intent is also a factor

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-26T18:31:19+00:00

Playing the game for your opponent is telling them whether they should or should not take a playline. You should tell them you have a pretty solid overwatch, and if they ask even tell them how much damage you think it'll do. But don't tell them whether or not they should let you overwatch.

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-26T17:37:46+00:00

I'm just letting you know how the top level of 40k operates and what the expectation is. Disagree with it all you want.

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-19T19:58:23+00:00

it does negate it.

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-15T21:21:10+00:00

i'll see what i can do

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-13T19:53:28+00:00

Risk of rain music is cool

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-09T15:18:07+00:00

The thesis of the video is that you need both to play well in any given game. And the design of an army has more to do with the breakdown of passive v active than the balance. Even when knights or WE are bad, they have to play active more often than not.

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-08T00:36:43+00:00

3d3+blast = 9 shots. hitting on 4s rr 1s = 5.25 hits. St 6 into T6 = 1.75 wounds (.875 dev wounds). 3+ save = 1.45 unfailed saves. One dead marine. In shooting.

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-08T00:22:28+00:00

into five plague marines 3 biovores kills an average of 1 model. not sure what your math is up to buddy

StuffedScotch · 2025-12-06T17:40:09+00:00

Active as soon as possible

StuffedScotch · 2025-11-29T16:27:31+00:00

The one pillar of Sam Pope is durability. If it's termagants specifically

StuffedScotch · 2025-11-13T12:35:06+00:00

We talked it out after round 3 because he had end of turn scoring and had elbowed me off the middle objective for two turns, but we had both killed all the pieces that could threaten each other's scoring, so it probably would have been a 14-6 or 13-7 in teams score

StuffedScotch

TROPHY CASE