Weekend Tournament Round-Up 24

I will travel across the land, searching far and wide. Each trophy to understand, the crits that are inside!It’s Saturday and I’m at my 3rd tournament 3 weeks in a row! The London area has dried out a bit in terms of events so once again I ventured up into the mysterious midlands thanks to trusty travel apps. This time I was at Phoenix Games in Stourbridge. I’ve never been there before but it looked like a solid event. They also responded quickly to my queries which is always an added boon.For warbands I would be using Zarbag’s Gitz. Reavers needed a break and I just have a lot of fun using the Grotz. They’re a very mechanically deep warband due to Scurry and all their other special rules. Being 9 fighters is also a challenge in itself. Still I had refined my last build, today was time to put it to the test!

Decklist

Playstyle: Flex (Aggro and Hold Objectives)

Access the decklist here

As before the main plan was to use Snirk. He’s my key to everything. Ignores defence dice, bypasses rebound, doesn’t afraid of anything. He is amazing for Obliterated. Advancing Strike is there because Snirk can score it and he regularly does with me. Fired Up and Keep Them Guessing are just great objectives with later being able to have 3 of the requisites met in a single activation (Scurry, charge and move thanks to the February 2019 FAQ).

Gambits are all about them pushes. Flickering Step is my favourite. Not only is it the best card in the game as a lover of crits but it’s hilarious to push Snirk 5 hexes. Remember you roll the dice first then choose a fighter! Counter Charge is just great too. You’ll get charged and charged a lot. It’s also great for Snirk to tag into targets. Dropped Jealous Hex for Transfixing Stare. Just tired of fighters running away from Snirk but not anymore!

Upgrades are pretty standard. After my success in winning with Eyes of the Nine (hard mode master) I feel that these are just so important for horde warbands. Also 7 wound Snirk. You know you want to. Also Tome of Offerings is silly as it works with Snirk. Punish those who use Offerings on your with Snirk and his research!

Trusty Technobabble Table:

Round 1It was a Gitz-off! I was playing against Mark who I had played up in Solihull with my Eyes of the Nine against his Sepulchral Guard. It would be an interesting match as I’ve never done the mirror before. Winning boards he went with Mirror Well and I went with the Amber Catacomb set wide in aggro mode.Winning priority, I chose to go second. Mark put a Git on guard then I did the same. The guarded archer charged, failed to roll any fury but scored Change of Tactics. My archer did the same but did 1 damage via a crit to a Squig while also scoring Change of Tactics and doing a Scurry too. Drizgit charged in but I was able to defend successfully while using Countercharge to get inspired Snirk up. Snirk then scattered into a Squig, killing it to score Obliterated while also doing 1 damage to enemy Snirk. I then scored Keep Them Guessing and Fired Up.Winning priority I scattered my Snirk into enemy Snirk, killing him to score Advancing Strike. I then played Transfixing Stare on Zarbag. The enemy Gitz tried moving around to objectives but I was able to successfully defend attacks. I left Zarbag on single wound but scattered Snirk through objective 1 and stop any scoring.Phase 3 involved even more objective play Snirk scattered around the objectives, managing to kill Zarbag while also knocking Gitz off objectives. I didn’t score any objectives myself but the disruption from Snirk was necessary as I managed to win 9/8.Winning boards again I switch my board to the Shattered Refractor set wide.First I made a mistake by setting up a Squig in a lethal hex. Mark went first by putting a Git in guard and I inspired Snirk. Next I scattered Snirk. He killed a Sqiug to score Obliterated but ended adjacent to enemy Snirk. I then put Sudden Growth on him. Enemy Snirk scattered into mine doing 3 damage. I then scattered my Snirk away. Our Snirks took over as Mark scattered deep into my territory to score Obliterated and stop my objectives.Phase 2 had my Snirk with Tome of Offerings scatter into a Grot and score 3 glory via Advancing Strike. Phase 2 and 3 mainly consisted of my Snirk murdering Grotz as I gave up on Supremacy and Our Only Way Out. Mad Scurry wasn’t doable but I scored Keep Them Guessing. Mark managed to retain objective control and won, meaning I lost 10/15.With 15 minutes left I won boards again (groan) but went back to the Amber Catacomb for aggro mode and spun his Mirror Well around (should have done that every game).This game was a bit of a blur due to the speed but this time I played really aggressively. I went second as Mark scurried about. I inspired Snirk then pushed him into a Squig with Flickering Step. He activated, killing the enemy Squig and doing 1 damage to the opposing Snirk. I then gave him Sudden Growth. I was lucky enough to take only 2 damage in return. I played Sidestep and then scattered into the enemy Snirk and killing him.Phase 2 had Mark try to surround Snirk but he failed and thus I used Quick Advance to push Snirk adjacent to a Squig. I scattered into it, scoring Advancing Strike, Obliterated and 1 more glory via Tome of Offerings. With that 5 point swing I had effectively won. We quickly played through the game and it ended on a 17/12 win to me.Round 2Luke and Godsworn would be my next opponents. Godsworn are usually tough to play against coupled by the skill of the user so I didn’t think this would be an easy match. Winning boards he also placed the Mirror Well while I set the Amber Catacomb diagonal.Going first, Luke put Jagathra on guard. I then scurried Snirk via Drizgit and inspired him. She charged in so I reacted with Countercharge, pushing Snirk next to her. Luckily I rolled a crit for defence but Luke scored Change of Tactics. I scattered Snirk but he rolled 4 single supports and thus bounced into the wall. Shond got Potion of Rage and charged into Snirk, rolling just a single fury. I then failed to roll any dodges on 3 dice and thus he died which scored Luke What Armour?Phases 2 and 3 had me fight for survival as I was pretty much boxed in. I scored a cheeky Supremacy in phase 2 with Hidden Paths but Shond and Grundann carved through my lines. Zarbag tried to fend them off but his attacks either missed or were successfully defended. In the end I wasn’t wiped out yet I didn’t have many Grotz left. I lost 8/16.Losing boards I set the Shattered Refractor while Luke placed the Mirror Well wide.This time I was more aggressive. Jagathra charged my trapped Squig. I failed my defence roll and reacted with Rebound. I rolled a crit and she died which scored me Advancing Strike. I then moved up Snirk and inspired him. Shond charged a Squig but I used Countercharge to push Snirk adjacent to him. The Squig died to 3 fury but Snirk got his revenge and scored Obliterated. Threddra used Hidden Paths and blocked off my objective so I pushed Prog away.Phase 2 had the Hunt push deeper in. Threddra charged out of the corner but whiffed with her attack. I pushed Snirk adjacent to her and thus whirled the enemy leader to death. Grundann despatched a Git with 2 smashes but I saved it with a successful Last Chance. Ollo charged up but was able to do little while uninspired.Going first in phase 3, Zarbag charged down Grundann while using Scurry to get supports. With 2 fury and a support, I killed the Chaos barbarian thanks to Great Strength and scored What Armour? Now out of heavy hitters, the Hunt did the best they could. I was unable to get anymore kills except for a lucky Snirk introducing Grawl to his metal ball. Thus I won 14/11.Boards remained the same but I switched placement up so my fighters were in better positions except for Snirk.Jahathra started off by charging into the trapped Sqiug. She rolled 3 fury but I rolled a crit to defend. I then moved up Snirk and inspired him. Grundann charged into another Squig but I reacted with Countercharge, pushing Snirk next to him. He attacked but rolled 2 fury. Snirk then scattered into him, killing the Chaos warrior to score Obliterated. Shond charged the trapped Squig, rolling 2 crits. Unable to defend, I used Last Chance. The double support saved my brave Squig from the jaws of death. I next gave Snirk Tome of Offerings, playing Flickering Step to get him adjacent with Shond. 3 smashes later I scored Advancing Strike for 3 glory.Phase 2 began with Snirk scattering into Jagathra, smashing her into the ground for 2 glory. Ollo went on guard while I did the same with Redcap. Ollo charged, doing 1 damage to a Grot and scoring Change of Tactics. I charged back with a big Scurry to get on 3 objectives and tag Theddra for 1 damage while also scoring Change of Tactics. I wasn’t able to kill anymore barbarians but I did pull off Supremacy, Keep Them Guessing and Our Only Way Out.Phase 3 started with Theddra charging again but I was able to defend the attack with crits. Zarbag quickly charged with Scurry support to pounce upon Ollo and drag him down with many stabs to the knees which conveniently scored me What Armour? Jagathra charged in but failed to get any fury. In response she was dragged down by a hungry Squig with 2 smashes. After that the game ended on . 17/4 win to me.Round 3Dan and Mollog would be my final foes for the day. I was the 3rd unbeaten player but while the top 2 duked it out I was left to face the beast. It’s fine. Winning boards Dan placed Soul Refractor while I set the Amber Catacomb in long configuration. While originally had set Dan’s board the other way around, I completely forgot I put a fighter in range of Mollog from deployment. D’oh!Mollog attacked Prog but missed. I inspired Snirk and used Hidden Paths to put him next to the Stalasquig. Due to how Snirk works, the Stalasquig takes 2 damage from Snirk while he takes 1 damage and the scatter ends. I rolled my 4 dice and scattered into the wall. Mollog attacked but missed again. I finally rolled a single smash with Snirk to score Obliterated and inspire the warband. Mollog then rolled 2 crits and killed Prog. Dan played Inspiration Strikes then Tome of Offerings (sigh). Mollog charged into the Bat Squig with Faneway Crystal. Mollog charged again but I managed to successfully defend. I scurried to score Supremacy and Our Only Way Out.Phase 2 had Mollog charge in with Foul Temper. He rolled 2 fury then re-rolled into a crit and a Squig was dead. Zarbag stabbed the Bat Squig with 2 fury, killing it to score What Armour? and an additional glory point thanks to Tome of Offerings. Mollog then attacked a Squig, missed and re-rolled into a crit. I scurried back but then Mollog charged in with his Whirling Club. Each attacked missed then re-rolled into a crit.In phase 3 I won priority and attacked with Redcap. Mollog swung at him, killing via crits. Drizgit charged but was beaten back via a defensive crit. I then used Transfixing Stare on Mollog. Stikkit went on guard while Mollog killed Drizgit. Zarbag moved up and Mollog charged Stikkit. He missed then re-rolled into a crit and killed my Grot. After scoring Keep Them Guessing, the game ended 15/16 in a loss for me.I won boards again but set the Amber Catacomb wide this time to maximise distance and those sexy lethal hexes.Going first, I moved Prog out of charge range. I then inspired Snirk. Dan drew a card. I played Hidden Paths and placed Snirk next to the Stalasquig and then played Transfixing Stare on Mollog from behind the lethal hex. I then scatted into the Stalasquig, bouncing off him again to score Obliterated and inspire the Gitz. Mollog charged my bunch of Gitz and I used Countercharge to push Snirk into the mayhem. After the Whirling Club was finished, only a single Gitz had died. I attacked with a fully supported Squig, doing 2 damage and driving the Troggoth into a lethal hex for 3 damage total.Phase 2 had me win priority so I attacked Mollog again. With a smash and a support, he was driven again into a lethal hex, leaving him on 2 wounds thanks to Great Fortitude. Mollog moved out of the lethal hex pit as charging put left him in range of it. I then swapped an objective and used Quick Advance to push the Squig and Drizgit out of attack range. Mollog charged Redcap but a crit defence roll saved him. I then put Tome of Offerings on Zarbag and charged in. Rolling 2 fury and a support, Mollog took 2 damage and died. As a result I scored What Armour? and Giant-Slayer for 5 glory. I then moved up Drizgit.Bat Squig started things off by charging Drizgit, killing him with a crit. I then put Zarbag on Guard. Spiteshroom used Hidden Paths and killed a Git. Zarbag then charged in with Prog as a support from Scurry. A fury and a support meant the fungi died to score me Change of tactics for 3 glory. With nothing left to do but cycle cards, I manged to win 13/11.Board alignment remained the same but I adjusted the left-most objective to synergise better with Scurry and not block myself off.Phase 1 was a bit of a stand-off. Mollog moved up. I activated Drizgit to Scurry Snirk and move the 2 Squigs, then inspire the Fanatic. We drew cards until the 4th activation. Dan inspired Mollog with Inspiration Strikes and charged Snirk, his only target in range. He rolled a smash and I failed my defence roll with 3 dice. I then reacted with Rebound. Next I rolled a crit. Mollog took 4 damage. I played Sidestep and put Snirk adjacent to him. I then scattered, rolling 3 smashes with a crit. Mollog died and I moved 3 hexes in a straight line onto objective 5. I then scored Mad Scurry, Our Only Way Out and Supremacy.Phases 2 I used Flickering Step and Quick Advance to push Snirk next to the Stalasquig then scattered into it with Tome of Offerings to score Obliterated and Advancing strike for 5 glory. The rest of the phase and for phase 3 was spent cycling cards and the game ended 16/0 to me.

In the end I came 2nd being undefeated out of 12 players but not coming 1st due to having 3 game losses. It was rough but expected. Gitz did really well and I had a lot of fun using them. They just have so much character. I think I’ve finally got the hang of them but I just need to get more consistent the Gitz to win 2-0!Overall I had a great time at Phoenix Games. Check them out if you’re in the area for some great games with awesome people. Not the easiest place to get to for some but it’s well worth the journey! I still have 3 warbands left until the last 2 Nightvault warbands are released. Let’s hope the crits stay strong with me.