Final | 11th August 18.00 | Mark Berkley (Legion of the Damned) Vs James Brown (Blood Angels)

An interesting final set-up given that both were runners-up in their respective groups, nevertheless, Brown has made it to within touching distance of a fourth successive OGC 40k title, whereas his opponent Berkley, is guaranteed a place on the podium for the first time since placing 3rd in 1999. Berkley defied the odds to overcome Mike Brandon in the semi-final whereas Brown came back from his defeat to Brandon to roll over Townley. Last year Brown wiped Berkley out in the group stages but e has since improved with his legion and even got a surprise victory over Brown in the pre-Tournament warm-ups. Brown may be the favourite but he hasn't blazed his way through this time and so Berkley is certainly not be written off!

Deployment

Legion of the Damned /\                   Blood Angels /\

Blood Angels Turn One

After Mark had rolled one's for both deployment and the first turn Brown had the initiative. The Death Company made a sweeping move down the right flank whilst the tanks moved forward to lay down fire. The result was a deadly one as 8 Legion Marines were claimed and a sponson on one of the Legion Predators was damaged. In particular, the Baal Predator heavy flamer wounds 3 marines but all make the armour saves, however the assault cannons correct this feat. In the psychic phase the Legion Epistolary falls short with its teleportation and lands in the middle of the Death Company. Not an ideal situation.
Score: Berkley 0 - 3 Brown

Legion of the Damned Turn One

The need to avoid taking such a heavy amount of damage again was paramount for the Legion troops and they quickly took more sheltered positions. The Legion tanks provide cover by moving out to engage the Blood Angels armour, in particular a shot penetrates the Land Raiders tracks and flips it into the air, and in the direction of the table edge. Berkley made a four and the Land Raider with its Terminator cargo just remained on the table, if still destroyed, a 5 or 6 would have claimed a seven VPs and been a costly flanking error for Brown. The remaining heavy fire from the Legion was not as effective as only the Ablative Armour was destroyed on one of the predators. The Legion retaliation was soon scuppered however, as the Death Company brought down the Legion Epistolary with their power fists, a heavy cost and a terrible mistake by Berkley.
Score: Berkley 3 - 6 Brown

Blood Angels Turn Two

Despite the Land Raider setback, the Blood Angels were in full gear and the Death Company charged the remaining Legion Librarian. The rest of the army advances as the Techmarine prepares his Plasma Gun with Armour Piercing Ammo and rolls a jam! The Terminators emerge from their near miss with the table edge and finish off a Legion squad in cover. The Predator heavy flamer continues laying fiery waste to the Legion positions but Berkley manages a fourth armour ave but to no avail as the survivors are set on fire. Berkley looks forlorn and cries 'Stop shooting my men!'. Meanwhile Brown has problems of his own as he cannot remember what level his Chaplain is, nevertheless one Crozius strike is all it takes and the Codicier falls along with the psychic phase.
Score: Berkley 3 - 9 Brown

Legion of the Damned Turn Two

With some serious wounds to nurse Berkley has a major decision at the beginning of his turn. Engage the Death Company with the Terminators or charge them at the vehicles. He opts to rely on Lascannon fire and move the Terminators into firing positions against the Death Company. Three are brought down, but the Power Fist wielding headcases still look deadly. Crunch times comes as 6 Lascannons line up the two predators and despite all hitting they manage to knock the remaining ablative armour off one of them. Not the kind of response that Berkley needed as he was struggling to keep up with Brown.
Score: Berkley 5 - 9 Brown

Blood Angels Turn Three

The rampant Death Company turn their attentions to the Legion Terminators and their charge brings one of them down to no reply. With little targets left the Blood Angel infantry consolidate their mid-table positions whilst the Predator fire exchange manages to annihilate one of their assailants in a somewhat unbalanced exchange. To make matter worse for Berkley, the advancing Terminators unload their Assault Cannon at the remaining Predator and manage to penetrate and flip its track sending its over to its annihilation. A very lucky set of shooting tears the remaining teeth out of the Legion!
Score: Berkley 5 - 12 Brown

Legion of the Damned Turn Three

If Berkley was to claw this back he would have to do it with Four Marines, Four Terminators and a Land Raider. The Land Raider is perhaps the salvation as it tears through one of the Predator turrets, ripping the tanks apart and sending the turret debris crashing into the Baal Predator although it only claims the lives of two of the crew. The Land Raiders other Lascannon sing and tear into the Dreadnoughts Sarcophagus although Berkley rolls just a one on the damage table. You might call it balance where it not for the vents previous. The Death Company also bring two of the Terminators down!
Score: Berkley 8 - 14 Brown

Blood Angels Turn Four

With little left to do the Baal Predator attempts to flame the surviving Legion Marines but also catches the combat, amazingly wounding none of the six combatants. The Blood Angle left flank mop up the two surviving Legion Marines on that side of the table to claim the entire half. The Death Company kill the other two Terminators and follow into the last surviving Legion Marine who to make matters worse is encumbered with a Lascannon.
Score: Berkley 8 - 18 Brown

Legion of the Damned Turn Four

It was game over for the Legion, who went into this final turn with just a single Marine and the Land raider remaining as the Blood Angels ran amok across the entire table. The Land Raider reverses to take one final fusillade on the Blood Angels. The results are devastating, The Death Company are reduced to just a single man on one wound, luckily Berkley did not kill his own combatant, the Chaplain going under the Lascannon fire. The remaining Lacannon sponson takes aim at the Dreadnought and blows off its legs! As a final consolation the Legion Marine with the lascannon survives the combat out and technically claims a victory as the Death Company marine dies after the battle.

Final Score: Mark Berkley 12 - 18 James Brown

James Brown - Tournament Champion 2008!

He may not have been able to sustain his winning unbeaten run but he had taken a fourth successive 40k title and turned the Space Marines into a real battle winning force after years of racial misery. Commenting after the game Brown was not convinced with his army claiming it didn't play exactly how he liked it, Berkley ruing the inappropriate timing of his one's and also accrediting Browns Assault Cannon destruction of his Predator as the key moment, Brown agreeing that it gave him control of the table from then on. Nevertheless Berkley was back on the podium and Brown remained unmovable.