• Because there will be a large percentage of cover on the boards themselves, long range weaponry won't play as much of a factor in games.  People will have plenty of opportunities to gain cover, thus marginalizing the effectiveness of my shooting at those ranges, as was discussed in the above linked post.
• Three BLOS terrain pieces, plus all of the other terrain, makes it quite easy for a close combat army to close the distance quickly, and safely, to wreck face.  Which is bad news bears for static armies.
• Lots of cover means the limited free-moving areas of the board are easily clogged with vehicles and units.  In addition, the few clear fire lanes available will covered with lots of guns.  That means players will be more apt to drive or move through terrain to get from Point A to Point B.  Dozer blades are crucial to help prevent immobilization; unfortunately, the Black Templar version sucks.
• Adding to the previous point, so much terrain diminishes maneuverability of several armies.  It makes it more difficult to reach objectives, opposing table quarters, or even "hiding" enemy forces.  Depending on the mission type, that could be a huge problem.

So what does that mean?  It means that even my "Hybrid" list might find itself having difficulties, though, I'm pretty sure it will be much better off than my 2011 list.  I am reminded that, even with only 4 Rhino-chassis in my list last year, only a single opponent killed them all.  And it took him 7 turns to accomplish that task.  I'm not too concerned with having only the four to get the job done for that reason.  Having more than that clogs up the board too much and with all of the terrain, it gets messy (i.e. hard to deploy, move, etc).  However, 6 troops opens more doors tactics-wise.

Using what I know about the upcoming Nova Open tournament, I needed to figure out a way to take advantage of the "environment".  I know that mobility that ignores (or at the very least benefits from) the terrain, will have a much better shot at winning games.  Armies that are able to put threats in the choke points on the board will create beneficial situations for that player.  I also know that any shooting I do, especially anti-tank, needs to be very effective at what they do.  Thus, a new list was born; one that may be able to take advantage of these "environmental" traits.  Of course, this is assuming we're still playing under 5th Edition rules, which is about 50/50 right now.  We don't yet know how 6th Edition is going to affect our codex.


HQ:
* Emperor's Champion w/ Black Sword, Bolt Pistol, Armor of Faith, and the Vow: "Abhor the Witch, Destroy the Witch." [110]

Elites:
* Sword Brethren Terminators: 5 Terminators w/ 2 Cyclone Missile Launchers, 5 Storm Bolters, 5 Power Fists, and Tank-Hunters. [265]
* Sword Brethren Terminators: 5 Terminators w/ 2 Cyclone Missile Launchers, 5 Storm Bolters, 5 Power Fists, and Tank-Hunters. [265]

Troops:
* Crusader Squad: 5 Initiates w/ 3 Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, 1 Meltagun & 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Rhino w/ Smoke Launchers. [153]
* Crusader Squad: 5 Initiates w/ 3 Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, 1 Meltagun & 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Rhino w/ Smoke Launchers. [153]
* Crusader Squad: 5 Initiates w/ 3 Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, 1 Meltagun & 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Rhino w/ Smoke Launchers. [153]
* Crusader Squad: 5 Initiates w/ 3 Bolt Pistols and Close Combat Weapons, 1 Meltagun & 1 Multi-Melta. Mounted in a Rhino w/ Smoke Launchers. [153]
* Crusader Squad: 5 Initiates w/ 3 Bolters, 1 Plasmagun & 1 Lascannon. [101]
* Crusader Squad: 5 Initiates w/ 3 Bolters, 1 Plasmagun & 1 Lascannon. [101]

Fast Attack:
* Biker Squadron: 3 Bikers w/ 3 Plasmaguns, Krak Grenades, and Frag Grenades; 1 Attack Bike w/ 1 Multi-Melta and Frag Grenades. [182]
* Biker Squadron: 3 Bikers w/ 3 Plasmaguns, Krak Grenades, and Frag Grenades; 1 Attack Bike w/ 1 Multi-Melta and Frag Grenades. [182]
* Biker Squadron: 3 Bikers w/ 3 Plasmaguns, Krak Grenades, and Frag Grenades; 1 Attack Bike w/ 1 Multi-Melta and Frag Grenades. [182]

Total Points: [2000]


Pretty interesting, no?  Besides the pretty much required (in my opinion) core of 2x dual CML Terminator squads, it makes use of the 4+2 theory, MM bunkers, and a trio of non-traditional units:  Biker squadrons.  Hehehe.

Before you lose interest right there and click away, thinking I've lost my marbles (entirely possible actually), let me explain my reasoning.  First off, granted we're assuming large amounts of cover.  As MVBrandt put it, its safer to assume that EVERYTHING has cover at long range.  Even though the Typhoons are 70 points, even though they do pack a helluva punch for their price, their weaponry does not do nearly as well against targets in cover.  Which are, more often than not, AV11-12.  However, while the Typhoon is easy to grant cover to as well, they are not easy to hide.  Thus, your opponent will see them and if they have even terrible luck, a shot or two will get through their AV10 armor eventually.  Making the Typhoon a liability in a situation where long range shooting does not cause much damage for either player.

But that doesn't explain why I chose the biker units.  First, bikers certainly can hide from the opponent.  Easily, in fact.  I'm not sure if you've ever seen a Space Marine bike, but its pretty darn small.  With the amount of terrain being thrown around, it will be simple to arrange BLOS for them, giving the small unit some manner of protection while they advance forward.  Second, unlike the Typhoon, there is ablative wounds available in the biker units.  While each death reduces the damage the unit can put out, but the same can be said for Dark Eldar Trueborn Blaster squads and they are still taken without a second thought.  It was also important to make sure that these normally fragile, yet expensive, units were redundant.  Having three squads makes target priority much more difficult for your opponent, especially when all three units are suddenly in their face.

Next up, we have the biker's armaments.  Traditional thinking would say that triple melta is the way to go, and I would normally agree, but only if I was facing pure mechanized armies.  Unfortunately, this is often not the case.  Not only will there be lots of MEQ and terminators running around (some footslogging), there are horde armies that need to be dealt with.  The meltagun is poorly suited towards dealing with each of those things.  The plasmagun, however, isn't half bad.  They are cheaper than meltaguns, do acceptable AT damage (especially when combined with a biker's mobility/rapid firing), and has the ability to knock out a bunch of infantry of all varieties in one swoop.  Add in the AB's MM and you have a legit tank-hunting squad, infantry killer, and/or mobile fire-support platform.  Lastly, they are extremely mobile.  They have the ability to go just as fast as the Typhoon, while also ignoring terrain effects (unless you end up in it!).  Perfect for cover-loaded boards.  This allows them to get up close and personal with relative safety, at least until you get into the 12" kill range.  Being so close also helps you negate some of your opponent's manufactured cover saves for themselves, thus upping your kill potential.  If all else fails and you need a quick speedbump unit, you've got yourself one.

All of these things would not be nearly as applicable for bikers on a typical board.  This is not saying that the Nova Open boards are bad in any way, just different from the norm.  This list would not function as well on such a board.  It has the chance to be successful in the Nova Open environment, pending play-tests of course.  Just like how Drago-wing came to be popular after last year's Nova Open (due to its ability to take advantage of the Nova Open boards/rules), I'm going to attempt to do the same.  List tailoring against my opponent?  No.  I am, however, tailoring for the event.  My list is still balanced, but normally sub-par units become okay (and even decent) in extreme environments.  We'll see if these theories hold water.  They may not.  ;)

EDIT:  Accidently put "1" plasmagun per Biker squadron.  There is actually supposed to be 3.  The points were correct though, just didn't correct the copy/paste.  :/

Game One – Squig Wakeup Call

Random Game Length – See Ending the Game (page 90) A Time Warning will be announced at 20 minutes left in the game, please do not start a turn you cannot finish.

Deployment

The table is divided into two halves – see deployment map on page 93 (Dawn of War).

Players roll-off, the winner chooses to go first or second.  The player going first chooses a deployment zone and places the first tactical marker.  Players take turns placing markers until each player has placed 3 markers following these rules:

• First tactical marker placed by a player must be in his own deployment zone.
• The other 2 markers must be in the opponent’s deployment zone.
• All markers must be at least 12” from another marker and 6” from a table edge.
• Markers can’t go inside impassable terrain.

The player going first can then deploy up to 2 units from Troops selection and up to 1 unit from the HQ in his deployment zone.  The player going second then does the same in his deployment zone, but must have his units more than 18” away from any enemy units.

Players may choose to place units in Reserve (page 94), declaring how it will enter play from reserve when placed there.

Armies must follow any and all special deployment rules specific to their codex (i.e. Chaos Daemons).

Finally, alternate deploying infiltrators and make scout moves.

All units not deployed and not in Reserve must enter the game in the Movement phase of their first player turn by moving in from their own table edge, like when coming in from Reserve.

The player who chose the first deployment zone goes first, but his opponent may attempt to Seize the Initiative (page 92).

Mission Special Rules

Turn 1 – Night Fighting, Infiltrate, Reserves, Deep Strike.

Mission Objectives

Annihilation:  The player with the most Kill Points (page 91) at the end of the game achieves this objective.

Seize Ground:  Achieve this objective by controlling more tactical markers in your opponent’s half of the table than your opponent.  To control a tactical marker there must be a scoring unit within 3” of it and no enemy units within 3” of it at the end of the game.

Defend Your Base:  Achieve this objective by controlling more tactical markers in your half of the table than your opponent.  To control a tactical marker there must be a scoring unit within 3” of it and no enemy units within 3” of it at the end of the game.

Victory Conditions

The player that has successfully achieved the most mission objectives at the end of the game wins.

If neither player has achieved victory through mission objectives, then the game goes to a tiebreak.

Tiebreak:  You must score at least 185 more victory points (page 300 / 108 little rulebook) than your opponent to claim victory.  If the Victory Point difference is within 184 points, the game is a draw.

Wipeout:  The player that achieves a Wipeout (page 90) wins the game.  The game is over, please score mission objectives as they stand now.


Game Two – Kill ‘Em All, Let the Squigs Sort It Out

Game Length

Random Game Length – See Ending the Game (page 90) A Time Warning will be announced at 20 minutes left in the game, please do not start a turn you cannot finish.

Deployment

The table is divided into two halves – see deployment map on page 92 (Pitched Battle).

Place one tactical marker in the center of the table.  Players roll-off, the winner chooses who goes first or second.  The player going first chooses a deployment zone and places another tactical marker within his opponent’s deployment zone at least 6” away from table edges and 18” away from the marker in the center of the table.  The opposing player does the same.  There should be 3 tactical markers on the table.

The player going first deploys all of his units at least 12” from the center line.  The player going second then does the same in his deployment zone.

Players may choose to place units in Reserve (page 94), declaring how it will enter play from reserve when placed there.

Armies must follow any and all special deployment rules specific to their codex (i.e. Chaos Daemons).

Finally, alternate deploying infiltrators and make scout moves.

The player who chose the first deployment zone goes first, but his opponent may attempt to Seize the Initiative (page 92).

Mission Special Rules

Infiltrate, Reserves, Deep Strike.

Mission Objectives

Take and Hold:  The Achieve this objective by controlling the most tactical markers.  To control a tactical marker there must be a scoring unit within 3” of it and no enemy units within 3” of it at the end of the game.

Recon:  Achieve this objective by having more units (scoring or not) completely within your enemy’s deployment zone than he has in your deployment zone at the end of the game

The Sum of His Parts:  Achieve this objective by destroying half or more of your enemy’s eligible Kill Point units (based on the total number of Kill Points in the army prior to deployment).  Both players can achieve this objective.

Units that are spawned or created throughout the course of the game (including combat squads) do not increase the Kill Points threshold for this objective.

Victory Conditions

The player that has successfully achieved the most mission objectives at the end of the game wins.

If neither player has achieved victory through mission objectives, then the game goes to a tiebreak.

Tiebreak:  You must score at least 185 more victory points (page 300 / 108 little rulebook) than your opponent to claim victory.  If the Victory Point difference is within 184 points, the game is a draw.

Wipeout:  The player that achieves a Wipeout (page 90) wins the game.  The game is over, please score mission objectives as they stand now.


Game Three – Waaagh!!! For the Squig God

Game Length

Random Game Length – See Ending the Game (page 90) A Time Warning will be announced at 20 minutes left in the game, please do not start a turn you cannot finish.

Deployment

The table is divided into four quarters – see deployment map on page 93 (Spearhead).

Players roll-off, the winner chooses to go first or second.  The player going first chooses a deployment zone and deploys all of his units at least 12” from the center of the table.  The player going second then does the same in his deployment zone, the quarter diagonally opposite.

Players may choose to place units in Reserve (page 94), declaring how it will enter play from reserve when placed there.

Armies must follow any and all special deployment rules specific to their codex (i.e. Chaos Daemons).

Finally, alternate deploying infiltrators and make scout moves.

The player who chose the first deployment zone goes first, but his opponent may attempt to Seize the Initiative (page 92).

Mission Special Rules

Infiltrate, Reserves, Deep Strike.

Mission Objectives

The Little Guys:  Achieve this objective by destroying all of the opponent’s Troops choices.  Units that end the game falling back or off the battlefield count as destroyed.  Both players’ may achieve this objective.

The Big Guys:  Achieve this objective by destroying the opponent’s highest point cost unit.  Dedicated transports do not count towards a unit’s point cost.  If this unit ends the game falling back or off the battlefield it counts as destroyed.  Both players’ may achieve this objective.

Rank Them Up:  The player with the most Modified Kill Points at the end of the game achieves this objective.

• Troops = 1 Kill Point
• Elites, Fast Attack, Heavy Support = 2 Kill Points
• HQ = 3 Kill Points

Victory Conditions

The player that has successfully achieved the most mission objectives at the end of the game wins.

If neither player has achieved victory through mission objectives, then the game goes to a tiebreak.

Tiebreak:  You must score at least 185 more victory points (page 300 / 108 little rulebook) than your opponent to claim victory.  If the Victory Point difference is within 184 points, the game is a draw.

Wipeout:  The player that achieves a Wipeout (page 90) wins the game.  The game is over, please score mission objectives as they stand now.


Game Four – Find the Sneaky Git and ‘Ill ‘Em

Game Length

Random Game Length – See Ending the Game (page 90) A Time Warning will be announced at 20 minutes left in the game, please do not start a turn you cannot finish.

Deployment

     Before deciding deployment zones, each player must nominate a single unit (cannot be a dedicated transport) in the opposing army to be “Marked for Termination.”  If this unit splits (e.g. combat squads) at any point during the game, then BOTH units are considered “Marked for Termination” and must be destroyed for the objective.  Record the unit selected in the mission objectives area.  You do not need to share this information with your opponent until the end of the game.

     Next, players roll-off and the winner places a tactical marker on the table.  Players alternate placement until 5 tactical markers have been placed.  No markers may be within 12” of a table edge or another marker, or within impassable terrain.

     The table is divided into two halves, with a 12” deployment zone on either long board edge.

     Players roll-off, the winner chooses to go first or second.  The player going first chooses a deployment zone and deploys all his units at least 12” from the center line.  The player going second then does the same in his deployment zone.

     Players may choose to place units in Reserve (page 94), declaring how it will enter play from reserve when placed there.

Armies must follow any and all special deployment rules specific to their codex (i.e. Chaos Daemons).

Finally, alternate deploying infiltrators and make scout moves.

The player who chose the first deployment zone goes first, but his opponent may attempt to Seize the Initiative (page 92).

Mission Special Rules

Infiltrate, Reserves, Deep Strike.

Mission Objectives

Annihilation:  The player with the most Kill Points (page 91) at the end of the game achieves this objective.

Take and Hold:  Achieve this objective by controlling the most tactical markers.  To control a tactical marker, there must be a scoring unit within 3” of it and no enemy units (scoring or not) within 3” of it at the end of the game.

Marked for Termination:  Achieve this objective by destroying the opponent’s unit that was “Marked for Termination” at deployment.  Both players can achieve this objective.

Victory Conditions

The player that has successfully achieved the most mission objectives at the end of the game wins.

If neither player has achieved victory through mission objectives, then the game goes to a tiebreak.

Tiebreak:  You must score at least 185 more victory points (page 300 / 108 little rulebook) than your opponent to claim victory.  If the Victory Point difference is within 184 points, the game is a draw.

Wipeout:  The player that achieves a Wipeout (page 90) wins the game.  The game is over, please score mission objectives as they stand now.


Game Five – Cry Havoc, and let Loose the Squigs of War

Game Length

Random Game Length – See Ending the Game (page 90) A Time Warning will be announced at 20 minutes left in the game, please do not start a turn you cannot finish.

Deployment

The table is divided into four quarters.  Place one tactical marker in the center of the table.

Players roll-off, the winner chooses to go first or second.  The player going first chooses deployment zone and deploys all of his units at least 12” from the center of the table.  The player going second then does the same in his deployment zone, the quarter diagonally opposite.

Players may choose to place units in Reserve (page 94), declaring how it will enter play from reserve when placed there.

Armies must follow any and all special deployment rules specific to their codex (i.e. Chaos Daemons).

Finally, alternate deploying infiltrators and make scout moves.

The player who chose the first deployment zone goes first, but his opponent may attempt to Seize the Initiative (page 92).

Mission Special Rules

Infiltrate, Reserves, Deep Strike.

Mission Objectives

Lead by Example:  Achieve this objective by having a model from an HQ unit within 6” of the center tactical marker.  Both players can achieve this objective.

Battlefield Control:  Achieve this objective by controlling the most table quarters at the end of the game.  A table quarter is controlled by a scoring unit being in it without any enemy units (scoring or not) also being in it.  A unit can only control one table quarter (decide based on where the majority of models are / randomly determine if unclear).

Elimination:  Achieve this objective by destroying all of your opponent’s HQ choices while having at least one of your HQ choices alive at the end of the game.

Victory Conditions

The player that has successfully achieved the most mission objectives at the end of the game wins.

If neither player has achieved victory through mission objectives, then the game goes to a tiebreak.

Tiebreak:  You must score at least 185 more victory points (page 300 / 108 little rulebook) than your opponent to claim victory.  If the Victory Point difference is within 184 points, the game is a draw.

Wipeout:  The player that achieves a Wipeout (page 90) wins the game.  The game is over, please score mission objectives as they stand now.

Moral of the story?  They are the EXACT same scenarios as Dark Star GT.  So I don't have to be surprised on that front, thankfully.  I also know I'm going to have to watch out for Game Three, as that is the one that is stupid unbalanced.  Hope I don't have to face off against another Rhino spam list again in the third game...  :/

Consider this:  A typical mech IG list at 2000 points can contain anywhere from 15-25 meltaguns, 9-18 Lascannons, 6-9 Multi-Lasers, and 6-12 Autocannons.  That isn't even counting ordnance fire.  All mounted on 12-18 vehicles.  How can you possibly think that a "typical" Black Templars list has enough shooting to deal with that?  Its just not possible.  Its why my gunline lists became so popular, so quickly.  People realized that the traditional style of list simply did not have enough punch to compete.  My earliest gunline lists featured between 28-32 Missile Launchers and Lascannons, plus a few plasma weapons and Autocannons.  There was plenty of guns to blast that IG (or any army) list away, assuming average terrain.

However, even with those successes, I was a little heavy-handed in my approach initially.  It didn't have enough support, namely in close combat, to sustain the shooting.  Nor did it have quite as much mobility as I would have liked.  And once everything was demeched, if you didn't have average rolling, cover saves would be the bane of anti-infantry shooting because there was not enough weaponry to torrent your opponent with.  Flaws that could easily cost a Black Templars player games if they didn't know the lists and how to respond to these threats.  Just like it took me all of Nova Open's Day One to re-adjust my play-style to account for the terrain we were playing with.

So where does this imaginary line find itself?  We'll take a look at a MSU Space Wolf list this time.  If using my Nova Open list from last year, each turn of shooting (using only 48" range weaponry) produces on average 4.568 Rhino deaths a turn. Way more shooting than we need.  Of course, that is assuming no cover and the "infantry" passes their Righteous Zeal test.  As we all know, Nova Open had so much cover that almost nothing went without a cover save, if you could even see the target at all.  So if you pretend everything had cover, which was pretty common, then your number of Rhino kills per turn drops to 2.284.  Not enough.  Do that same thing on an IG list with twice as many vehicles (which also feature AV12, not AV11).  You're going to be hard pressed to win.

Fortunately, as I mentioned earlier, there are other ways to deal with vehicles.  You don't have to kill everything, especially if its not a vehicle.  Often, stunlocking is sufficient.  Refuse-flanking, reserves, mobility, and clever use of the threats in your list can also help localize your opponent's attention on small parts of your list at a time.  Additionally, having cover can work both ways so it'll also be harder for them to kill you.  MVBrandt defended the terrain his tournament used, but admitted there was perhaps too much line-of-sight blocking pieces on each board.  Thus, we can safely assume that the terrain at Nova Open 2011 won't be the same as it will be at Nova Open 2012.  However, its probably best to assume that there will be more than average.  Adepticon this year also featured boards with pretty heavy amounts of terrain.  So its not a trend that is going away.

Don't worry, I'm getting to my point.  With boards using this much terrain, we can afford to take guns away and delegate them towards disruptive roles in our forces.  Sacrificial units, close combat units, mid-field defenders, whatever you like best -- depending on the list.  With so many choke points on a board, mobility plays a huge part in the game.  The person who is able to take mid-field first, and hold it, will have a much easier time winning their game.  The terrain also helps promote the survivability of close-combat units (and their transports) while they cross the board.  You can afford to spend some points in this fashion, without hurting your list.  The problem is, most lists people build now have taken too many guns out of their list and put too many of those points into dedicated close-combat units.

Even with a fully-chock board of terrain and cover as far as the eye can see, our close combat units are not efficient.  The only unit that can make that argument are TH/SS terminators, simply because they are near impossible to kill even when walking.  Everything else gets slaughtered in close combat against even the most basic troops of other armies.  Grey Knights?  They comprised 22% of the armies at a 256 player tournament (Adepticon 2012)!  Their basic troops kill our most decked out Crusader squads in close combat without breaking a sweat, due to the built-in power weaponry.  And those GK players that use Acolytes?  They'll shoot you to death once they hit the 24" Psycannon range.  Those lists also usually have Death Cult Assassins in them...and they eat MEQ for breakfast.  Space Wolves don't inflict as much damage in close combat, but pound for pound, they are equals to the standard CC-oriented Crusader squad and will grind ours down to nothing at minimal cost to our opponent (and large cost to us).  Blood Angels will do it even faster (and safer) due to Feel No Pain.  Or if you're playing against a "Nipplewing" list, have fun cleaning up the dead Templars.  Incubi?  Wyches?  Thunder Wolf Cavalry?  TH/SS Terminators?  Counsel-Seers?  Too many things kill us in close combat without much effort or cost to our opponents.  So small, inconsequential semi CC-units are best for us. 

Going too far without guns is just as bad as having too many of them.  In my experience, having 18-20 long range weapons (Str 8-9) in a 2000 point list should be sufficient for most lists.  This is provided you also include melta in your list, as well as some form of CC-support.  In some of my recent lists, I went under this mark and it became noticeable in my games against mech IG.  I was better equipped for foot/horde lists, but if I saw too many vehicles, I had trouble.  Obviously, as mechanized armies are much better, these deficiencies were a problem.  As Nikephoros frequently mentions, playing your lists against a gauntlet of armies is incredibly important to find the stress points.  It'll help you find out where you can sacrifice things, to bolster other elements of your force, without screwing you over.  Likewise, you should start to discover anything in your actual gameplay that is causing you to lose games (i.e. tactical choices, target priority, decision making in general) and give you the chance to address those issues before any important games.  In my case, I had dropped a little too much fire support from my original gunline list and it hurt my ability against mech IG...an incredibly common opponent on the USA GT scene.  Thus, I had to address that problem if I wanted to succeed.

I challenge you to go into your "scene" and play around with your lists a bit.  Take some guns out and see how you do against highly mechanized lists.  Likewise, put lots into your list and play the same game.  Find the middle-ground, where you are comfortable with how your shooting played out with average dice rolling.  Then play against another opponent who runs a totally different style of army and see how you do.  Obviously, if you're not competitive, this doesn't matter.  But if you are, you need to find out how much fire support you can get away with safely.  The dice won't always favor you, so if you're unsure, it doesn't hurt to overcompensate by having more AT.  Games aren't lost on turn one by having too much AT, but it certainly could be if you don't have enough.

So did I give anyone a clear cut answer as to how much AT shooting is enough?  Of course not.  That isn't how I do things.  And even if I did, what might be enough for me and how I play games, may not be enough or too much for the next person where they play.  I can only give you an estimate based on my own GT experiences.  Nevertheless, hopefully this article was useful in helping people to understand why finding that sweet spot is so important.  Understanding the proper amount of AT firepower in competitive list building is the single-easiest way to improving your W/L record.  I can't do it for you, so get out there and play some games!