We recently sat down with Mike Porter, one of the world’s best Warhammer 40K players and a standout coach here at Vanguard Tactics, to chat about his recent tournament win. Mike is well-known for his tactical acumen and relentless passion for the game. Let’s dive into his reflections on the tournament, and maybe pick up some tips along the way!
Mike began his journey with a sense of adventure, choosing to play with the Genestealer Cults (GSC). “I decided to take the GSC as it has always been an army I’ve looked at and thought it looks like a blast to play, but I have no clue how it works! The more I’ve used them, the more layers of how they can be played are peeled away,” he said.
In talking about his game strategy, he explained: “I constantly focused on scoring during each game and eliminating key threats to my army. The GSC ability to be almost anywhere on the board at any time really helps with this.”
Faced with formidable opponents, he shared, “4 of the armies I played against could all prevent Deep Striking very easily… That was a real challenge and I enjoyed using specific elements of my army to remove those problems so the bulk of my list could function as they needed.”
His coaching work has sharpened his understanding of diverse factions, a facet that he feels adds to his strength as a player. “There’s very few armies now I don’t have a good grasp of and coaching has certainly helped with that,” he shared.
Looking forward, Mike is thrilled about the prospect of participating in the Grand Finals. “To have the opportunity to go over there regularly is a hobby dream come true,” he mused.
His parting advice for those aspiring to take on new factions or compete in major tournaments was both heartfelt and insightful. “Playing different armies with a range of play styles and learning the codex is so much fun and is incredibly rewarding… Have fun and treat every move, decision and dice roll as a learning opportunity!” he advises.
A fitting close to our chat, reminding us all that at the heart of it, we play for the love of the game and the thrill of the journey. So here’s to learning, growing, and striving for our best – on and off the battlefield!
