A guide to the UK masters (well how I see it)

So its time for the masters this weekend, so lets celebrate the game, its my first time at KOW masters as frankly I only really started to pay any attention to the game from around April 2018 or so, before that I literally just rolled dice with my mate Mick for old times sake.  Looking around the field though there are a lot of guys who have been there seen it and done it all before and I'm expecting a lesson in KOW if I'm honest.
Masters pack is based on the black jack scoring system at 1995pts and sticking to COK 18. http://clashofkingsau.com/blog/2017/10/22/blackjack-a-new-way-to-score-for-kow which basically scores more the more that you win scenario by.  I'm not a fan as it leads to really negative play in my opinion but you roll with the punches and produce what you need to and here's what I went with for the event

so quickly my choices and my play style, this is not a gunline, I was actually mortally offended when Elliot called it that on the you tube of Northern Kings(like and subscribe to it guys), this is actually a combined arms list that is more interested in fighting than shooting, Toms is a more of a gunline as it has the same shots as mine but instead of investing in aggression he's invested in control and blocking/denial for his extra points.

My list

Dragon kindred lord
the flying breath pre nerf was to good not to take, I always regret not taking dragons when I don't so I went with him

2 Drakon hordes
the really heavy lifting and space threatening of the list, also very likely to try and score when they survive

Chariot horde
bought in specially for this scoring system, probably a mistake but I sometimes like the aggression that they can bring and they are ok at shooting, just really, really flimsy but cheapish naked

Archer horde and archer regiment
the horde is any most elf lists
the regiment is basically unit strength that can contribute without getting auto killed and isn't so expensive that I just wont go and claim stuff with it and sacrifice the shooting where that suits

ASB I wanted him to contribute, so lute, diadem and kabas grenades were on my mind, I picked wrong I should have had kabas grenades here and fire oil on the chariots, that synergises much better with my list

Black crown Mage
there is a reason she is no longer a thing

Master hunter (inspiring)
I don't get whats not to like, he contributes with little to no risk, he can turn 1 charge, hes inspiring to drakons if the dragon needs to fly off to the other flank, he can often ground flyers, such versatility and a great bow.

Dragons breathe
just because I hate individuals

So basically my list plays with what I call inside out, this usually means the elements that threaten you with melee are on the outside of my set up (in either width or behind) and the shooting units are on the inside, the list then forms semi circles or similar to effectively create a death zone in the middle, but at any time I can choose to play refused flank or even straight up try and run some lists over due to its speed, especially if I can concentrate on one side of the opponents army and block the other up (tank and spank).

So what I want to see
other combined arms lists as I think elves do it best in the game
infantry lists with no pathfinder
gun lines with a lack of mounted individuals

and what I don't want to see
lists that heal a lot
lists that have fast individuals or a lot of surge
lists that can easily remove my drakons at long range
full on swarms of dudes

so I looked at the field and scored each match up 1bad-5good for myself (player not considered)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdLx4VbJtoY&t=124s
https://drive.google.com/drive/mobile/folders/1Bx_z7vQM2oteZ2VB4APU3J4Zakw4tjYJ?fbclid=IwAR1APjZZEAgOEiMJG4ciI8BZso-Xdy2MmunFraxrM3Ky4GCVfFgKxolODec

How I could fare
Toms elves 2 I think he just slightly out threats me and because im all about thunderous the sea guard are annoying
Doms orcs 4 troll hordes are annoying and its always dicey with 6 combat units vs 3.5, but im fairly confident with terrain and with any sort of average dice I should achieve just breaking a unit a turn before it gets to me
Dans undead 3, maybe its to quick for me, its hard to see, this isn't a style ive played into before im worried about him jamming me out of scenario with the unit strength kept safe but on the plus side its undead without surge and heal. Am not sure on this one tbh
Pauls Varangur 3, nothing in this, hes fast, I hate the flying character, I hate fallen, he hates giving me a clean shot at anything
Adams Goblins 1, I cant get to what hurts me and I'm left trading expensive units for garbage
Rob Phipps Abyssal Dwarves 4, I don't like the armour or surge but is little that hurts me at range and I think I can trade fairly favourably, a little unknown to me though abyssal dwarves
Rich Tomlinson Brotherhood 4, a solid list that I think is doing combined arms worse than me but I don't play brother hood much
Jon Quayle Empire of dust 2, , I think Jon needs to make a slight error for me to take off this mass of surging fortitude, however stealth all round character :( I think its teched to play elves tbh I don't like the match up as I feel long range shots usually even the match out, stealth wrecks that and elves cant fight EOD.
David Fletcher Dwarfs 3, I am so glad David took out his Behemoths, this looks a really tense game to me now.
Sam Barker elves 5. Confession I usually blog tired and drunk, but I just don't see what this list does, really sorry if I'm wrong
Chris Cowburn Ogres 5, I think I just out threat and control this list too easily and there isn't enough meat.
Matt James orcs 2-3, I think 3 individuals especially with Gakamak will get to places I don't want them to and hurt my game plan, however I think first turn is huge.
Ed Herzig Empire of dust 2, that bit of shooting and that pharaoh make this very tricky, however on the flip side, the 2 chariot hordes and less heal make this list much more squishy, I think terrain is huge on the score.
Martin Dinsley Ratkin 3, original list, the stealth is annoying and there is plenty of bodies, I just feel this is a free for all matchup, too many factors could happen
George Kirk Night stalkers 2, its all stealth which seems bad and looks like it may run me over, also never played night stalkers.

Ians Sweep stake.

and now my run down of the predictions (I don't know every player so commentary will vary because of that and not any disrespect) this is tongue and cheek and i'm 6 pints in so no animosity please

1 Jon Quayle I think he's teched correctly, loads of anti shooting wasted against him and super strong in combat with shootings damage now mitigated against him. Very solid player and pushed tom without the stealth when imho Tom had a stronger list at clash.
2 Tom Robinson probably should be number 1 but that's boring
3 Matt James super solid player but I feel his match up into potentially Tom and Adam looks rough
4 Adam Padley I seriously hate goblin gunlines, but I feel he will lose a scenario game somewhere
5 Dan King legend in the game, I love his list design, seems very cool and different and he's taken the massively under pointed monsters,  just feel his unit strength is based on units that can get ground out by virtually anything.
6 David Fletcher I like David lots, and I know he's gone for extra fortitude instead of his behemoths, but his list is slower for it and I think it hurts him too much to place higher
7 Dom Staveacre very thoughtful player, very strong list, but also very safe player and I think that will cost him in a masters field standings (that's not a criticism Dom)
8 Martin Dinsley I think the X factor of Martins list gains him a couple of spots, Martin is consistently accurate in his play, and my lift back to the hotel so was never going bottom half
9 George Kirke  don't know the guy but read his rankings and list rolled some dice and he landed here
10 Rob Phipps like the list but I feel its gonna win or lose big very time
11 Paul Welsh  super strong list from a guy who isn't very good at gaming, I disagree so you're going in above me
12 Rich Tomlinson  I think Rich will always have a game to play in every match up and hes been round a long time
13 Ed Herzig  its not Eds year to come last  but hes done it the other times so hes staying down here
14 Ian Sturgess im just too inexperienced and don't play enough
15 Chris Cowburn don't get the list prove me wrong, please do, if not i'll be bringing beer
16 Sam Barker don't get the list, prove me wrong, please do, if not im bringing beer

 Good luck to everyone and Thx to John Faulkes, Elliot Morrish and Nick Williams
 for their effort putting on this event
as usual feel free to call me out