ROAD TO ATLANTA: THOMAS BECKERS
Four men from The Netherlands are on their way to Atlanta to compete in the Warhammer 40K World Championship, sponsored by Games Workshop. While Dean packs his cheese, stroopwafels and genever for the journey across the pond, I complete my series and check in with Thomas Beckers, Romania’s (err I mean, Holland’s) Primaris Captain and chat about his 40K history, what he’s playing and how he’s preparing for this incredible event. Thomas - thank you for taking the time to chat with me.
Let’s start right at the beginning. What got you into competitive 40K?
Well - I kind of just rolled into it (forgive the pun). I have been playing Warhammer for the last 15 (ish) years. I started with building and converting and having fun playing games with people. At the time it was as much as I could understand and handle with my Aspergers. This changed a bit during COVID, when my FLGS decided to retire and tournaments became the easiest way to meet some new people and get some games in. Some would say, that this has gotten out of hand, but hey I love it! The three most important things in playing 40K, for me, are meeting new people, playing some great games, and having a great time - if I could maybe sneak in a W at an event though, then it’s a bonus.
Thomas, Dino, dick and Rob, all our champions together with the local janitor on the left.
Now, I’ve played against you on Daemons, Thousand Sons and have sent some parts through for a Space Marine army. Each of these factions has unique strengths and weaknesses. With such seemingly unique factions, how would you define your playstyle?
Large and in charge, and each of these armies does that in different ways. I prefer to keep my opponent on their back foot. By controlling the board state with pressure and forcing them to play Thomashammer, I try to force mistakes and capitalize!
How did you punch your ticket to Atlanta?
I received my ticket from the Romanian Open, it was well-fought and I thank Razvan for the opportunity to play in his stead.
You’re about to fly to Atlanta, what excites you most about the event?
This is a chance to meet new people, especially those I would never meet at european tournaments. I’m also oddly excited to see how everyone tries to solve the GW terrain conundrum and just have some awesome games.
How did you prepare for this event?
I’ve been playing a lot of games on TTS, especially with US players and others going to the event. I’ve also been debating a lot on Discord. I made a deal with Tzeentch and sacrificed a couple of goats to Nurgle.
The lists are open, the secrets are out, you’re bringing Marines! What made you decide on going with the emperors finest?
I’m taking Marines. I feel that if, I can keep the list simple i have a chance at performing well. The schedule is quite tight between rounds and I feel that bringing a complex army, like TSons or Daemons would only hamper my chances at “success”.
Thomas on the left as part of Team Netherlands coaching team.
Is there anyone you’re looking forward to playing in ATL?
I am looking forward to every game I’m going to play and I hope to learn a lot. To be honest, I’m terrified of everyone going. This is the shark tank of all shark tanks.
What’s something that you can’t do without at a tournament?
Fun! No point in playing Warhammer if you’re both trying to make each other miserable while rolling dice.
Alright, last question, and then you can get back to your busy schedule. Do you have any tips for us mortals to get good enough to compete for a spot at the world champs?
As the Roman proverb goes, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”. If you put in the work and learn your army, plan your movements, and try to anticipate your opponent’s plan you should reap some rewards. I try to recap every game and critically evaluate my strategy and tactics and learn from it. BUT, the most important part is to have the dark gods on your side.
Thank you, Thomas for taking the time. We wish you all the best at the World Championships. The DTC will follow Thomas and the other three Dutchies as they prepare to invade Atlanta. And this concludes our Road to Atlanta series! Our boys are all traveling towards Atlanta in the oncoming hours and we wish them all the best! Make The Dutch 40K community proud boys! Dino will try to post as much as possible on Instagram and our discord so do follow us if you would like to know how things are going ;)
By winning the DTC Circuit or the upcoming DTC Masters you can win a Golden Ticket and secure your invite to next season’s Warhammer World Championships for more information visit us on the DTC40K website, hangout with us on the DTC40K discord, where we help you sharpen your skills and support us on Patreon to gain access to the best players in the country and trade ideas on secret discord channels only open to our members. Till next time!