The 2024 Australian Masters proved yet again that betting against Jeffrey Traish is not a winning strategy. Coming in with his lightning-fast Abyssal Dwarfs list, Traish maneuvered through an impressive lineup of opponents, clinching the championship title. His army, with a backbone of Halfbreeds and swift Gargoyles, faced fierce competition but ultimately held strong.
The event was marked by several nail-biting matchups. Three players managed to go 4-1 in their games, and another came close with a 3-1-1 result. Every round seemed to deliver tense moments that kept spectators on the edge of their seats. The games were also livestreamed at Direct Misfire’s YouTube channel, where you can catch the fantastic coverage provided by the Direct Misfire podcast.Â
Andrew Goodman also delivered an outstanding performance with his sturdy Dwarfs, showcasing resilience and adaptability across multiple matches. Stephen Devenish’s Ratkin army made a mark as well, proving to be a tricky opponent for many.
Below, you’ll find tables summarizing the player results and faction representation. The full spreadsheet, including crosstabs, is here:
It’s worth noting the diversity of factions that managed to place highly, illustrating the competitiveness and balance present at the top level of Kings of War in Australia.
Player Results
| Player | Faction | Wins | Losses | Draws | Elo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeffrey Traish | Abyssal Dwarfs | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1698 |
| Andrew Goodman | Dwarfs | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1697 |
| Stephen Devenish | Ratkin | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1670 |
| Damien Madigan | Salamanders | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1604 |
| Max Kay | Goblins | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1586 |
| Paul Collins | Nightstalkers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1571 |
| Adam Storey | The Order Of The Green Lady | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1567 |
| Luke Schafer | Ogres | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1548 |
| Lyle Marsden | Kingdoms Of Men | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1513 |
| Adam Macaskill | Ogres | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1459 |
| Matthew Trewella | Twilight Kin | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1434 |
| Matt Curtis | Elves | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1397 |
| Rex Gibson | Dwarfs | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1393 |
| Stephen Tuck | Varangur | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1338 |
| Daniel Harwood | The Herd | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1330 |
| Ed Hamacek | Empire Of Dust | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1194 |
Faction Performance
Note: Because there were 14 factions among 16 players, the usefulness of this table is somewhat limited, but I am providing it for completeness.
| Faction | Wins | Losses | Draws | Total Games | Winning Percentage | Average Elo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abyssal Dwarfs | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 80.0% | 1698 |
| Ratkin | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 80.0% | 1670 |
| Salamanders | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 70.0% | 1604 |
| Goblins | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 60.0% | 1586 |
| Nightstalkers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 60.0% | 1571 |
| The Order of the Green Lady | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 60.0% | 1567 |
| Dwarfs | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 55.0% | 1545 |
| Kingdoms of Men | 3 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 60.0% | 1513 |
| Ogres | 5 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 50.0% | 1503 |
| Twilight Kin | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 40.0% | 1434 |
| Elves | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 30.0% | 1397 |
| Varangur | 1 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 30.0% | 1338 |
| The Herd | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 20.0% | 1330 |
| Empire of Dust | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0.0% | 1194 |
Analysis Highlights
- Jeffrey Traish’s Success: Traish’s Abyssal Dwarfs relied on speed, with units like Halfbreeds and Gargoyles giving him the ability to outmaneuver slower opponents and seize objectives effectively.
- Close Matches Galore: With three players finishing 4-1 and another with a strong 3-1-1, this tournament showcased just how competitive the field is. Every decision mattered, and there were no easy victories.
- Faction Versatility: The top standings featured a healthy mix of factions, proving that no single army dominated the meta.
- As far as what stats are driving performance, in a limited sample size, the list with more drops went 21-7-2; the list with greater unit strength went 18-13-2. Meanwhile shooting lists had a rough tournament, where the list with more ranged attacks went 13-25-2. Similarly, speed didn’t pay dividends, with faster lists only going 19-18-2.
For more context on the tournament’s lead-up, you can check out my pre-tourney writeup here.
I haven’t had time to fully dig into all the games yet, but I’m sure the fantastic folks at Direct Misfire podcast will be breaking down some of the most exciting moments, so be sure to check them out. Apologies for the shorter analysis this time—life has been a bit hectic lately. I’ll also be adding the results to my ever-growing tournament machine learning model to see if there’s anything interesting to glean from more data. The Aussie Masters continue to be a thrilling showcase of top-tier Kings of War play.
