Okay, I will probably write a book for my primary game - Game of Thrones - but since I did okay thought I would write shortly here:
I have been playing W:I since it debuted at GenCon last year. I have been in love with aGoT since it came out - both for the source material and for the rules (the plot deck is what makes it superior to W:I...IMHO of course!!!). Both are Eric Lang games, and they are both well managed by the current leads. W:I has the benefit of much better rules (the stack or chain or whatever), but in general I will always be an aGoT player first.
However, FFG was good enough to get aGoT out of the way by Friday (I ended up 4th), opening up the chance to play W:I competatively for the first time ever!
I had been playing with some friends (briefly in Springfield, MO and Iowa, and with a guy who just moved to Nebraska from SacTown) and I liked my two decks: Dwarfs and Dark Elves/Skaven. I always did well, even against people who had a lot more experience, but that is probably just because I have played too many CCG's over the years (Magic to L5R to aGoT to Seven Seas to Doomtown to LoTR to Star Wars to Magi-Nation...you get the drift).
So, thought I would throw down. I ran dwarves since I was scared of Destruction and had never played against a bolt-thrower deck 
I would post the deck, but it was pretty basic other than three things:
**forgive me, I am horrible with card names**
1. I didn't see the first/second turn power of the location that puts two developments in play. Wow...with Innovation, that is sick, especially with the Cannon Crew. I saw first turn Crew/location + 2 developments/development/Innovation/etc. multiple times for first turn effective 7 gold and usually 2nd turn 5-6 plus cards.
2. I didn't see the power of Dwarf Ranger. Okay, okay, he is strong! 
3. I love send back to hand effects - I had 3X Pilgrimage and 3X the new Empire one in my deck. Pilgrimage usually costed 2-3 and were played first, and then later game the Empire one was played for 4. Game are tempo to me, and these can really swing tempo your way.
Other than that, maybe a few cards difference, but not a ton.
I played 6 games, going 4-1 in swiss and then losing in top 8.
I lost in swiss to the Empire bolt-thrower deck (I lose that 99 of 100 times), and in top 8 in the 3rd and final game by 1 damage (he would have decked himself the next turn) after sac'ing his own Slayer to kill another of his attacking units AFTER damage was already assigned (yes, I guess they are still attacking) and pinging me for the last 2 damage. A hard way not to get into top 4, but I would have been slaughtered regardless.
All in all very fun. I think that:
1. unit-less/lite decks are certainly way too powerful - there are affordable, MASS-killing/controlling unit cards, but very few for support cards or really even for developments.
2. The time limits are tough, I would rather have a one-game round (but I think going first is too strong).
3. Yes, bolt-thrower is too strong, but Dwarf has a ton of great cards - to be honest I don't even mind Ranger that much, it is the crazy starts they consistently get. Between the card draw of a couple of Mining Tunnels to the income of the development location and/or Cannon Crew...they just consistently come out of the gate crazy.
Overall, though - I had a good time. Wish there was more variety at the top and overall, but that will come (Game of Thrones had the same issue until this year, a year more than W:I has had). Pretty neat game.
Thanks to all my opponents - they were all very pleasent, even in the time situation we all were in (which can fray nerves). Hopefully can try to do better next year!!! Or not, I was ready to drink after a long day/weekend of gaming