How to Win at 40k Tournaments Part Quatro: Common Strategic Mistakes

I think I've talked enough about army selection for the time being. I think its time we get into the much more interesting world of strategy.
Let's start with something straight forward.

Skybosses list of common Strategic Mistakes and Missconceptions!

1. I need to use my entire deployment zone
     - This is a mistake I see all the time and its one I used to be notorious for. Spreading out your army to fill you entire deployment zone or board edge during deployment is usually a bad move. It spreads out your forces too thinly and highly mobile players (like me) take advantage dividing your army and cutting them down piece by piece. Try to setup your army so that they can support each other directly. Or at the very least keep your counter attack units in a position so that they can jump out and help any squad that gets pinned down in assault or by shooting.
2. I need to start with everything on the board, AKA reserves is stupid
   - Although not always beneficial, keeping forces in reserve can really be to your advantage. I've won many a game starting with everything in Reserve. I love when a player decides they want to take the first turn because then I just don't deploy anything. My opponent then wastes his first round of shooting and spends his time moving his figs towards objectives. Then as I come on piece meal I can pick and choose my targets. In some games you really do want to start with as much on the table as possible to have as many turns as you can grabbing objectives or shooting / HtH but always keep reserves in your back pocket.
3. Keeping guys in Template formation
     - Always be careful with how you place figs. Don't give an opponent with a battlecannon or a flamer a chance to hit 5-6 guys at a time. (Unless that was your plan)
4. Having the first turn is always to your benefit.
     - On the contrary alot of the time I would rather have the last turn of the game so I can react and grab objectives without fear of reprisal rather than take the 'first strike' option.
5. Discounting the mighty bolter / lasgun
   - Too many players think of a squad as a meltagun or a flamer and basically ignore the power of there standard guns. If you shoot enough bolter or lasguns at a daemon prince he will die! Just make the opponent roll dice, he'll fail sooner or later. You don't have to bayonet charge him, just take a step back and shoot him again!
6. Maintain your situational awareness!
    - This a term pilots use to describe having to keep track of everything that's going on in an airplane when flying. If you apply this to 40k it would mean remembering everything that's going around you. You need to look at the clock so you know how much time you have left. Looking at the whole board so you can predict what your opponent will do next. Keep an eye on your forces and your causalities so you don't move a squad that lost its special weapon or abilities into a bad position or worse forget to shoot with a unit or leave one in reserve! Remember the objectives. Read the scenario and remember what the point of the game is. But most importantly remember to "play the game!" which includes remembering your special rules.
7. Make a plan and stick to it!
    - If you come up with a game plan you need to stick with it. Causalities happen, units get bogged down and destroyed but remember that happens to your enemy just as much as you. Don't lose sight of the objective, stick with the game plan and keep pushing.
8. Sometimes you know a game is un-winable but it doesn't mean that you shouldn't play at 100%
    - You never know what the dice will bring, or maybe your opponent will make a critical mistake that you can exploit. But unless you are there working on all cylinders you probably won't see the opportunity and take advantage. And sometimes the best thing to do is don't play to win, play for a draw. Give up risky chances to claim victory and save your forces. Sometimes you'll get lucky and by the end of the game your opponent who was playing to win will have made too many sacrifices and then you will have him.
9. Don't be afraid to take risks
     - Sometimes accomplishing something its a Hail Mary shot, but you just have to go with your gut and go for it. Just remember what's the worst that can happen? You'll have an awesome warstory of how you tried to kill a landraider with one meltabomb and watched as the marine died a horrible death for the emperor.