Grissel. Grissel is back, I was never gone.

Anyway. We had this little Steamroller event last Saturday, relaxed atmosphere, single list, 42 points. I wanted to play Trolls again, it’s the time of year that still qualifies as “after the WTC”, so it was time for a trip to the dojo.

Trolls are in a very strange place nowadays. It seems that Flanzer’s legacy continues to linger1, and that the only recent release worth looking at is the Storm Troll. I thought about mounting a cruisade (and other medieval techniques), but then decided that I couldn’t be bothered, would just play whatever I felt like, and would continue to make fun of Jay Larsen2.

One of the advantages of the dominance of Runes of War and Evolutionary Elementalism is that playing the best warlock in the faction is seen as “going off the beaten path”. So, I brought this very creative setup:

Grissel Bloodsong

* Mulg

* Pyre Troll

Full Krielstone + UA

2x full Warders

Fire Eaters

Janissa

Sexy Saxon

There is a bit of a “because I can” factor in the list (Janissa) and also a sprinkle of “because it worked in another list I used to have”, which is mainly Saxon. I hadn’t played this list before the tournament, but while unpacking my models on the day, I played a mock first turn, and decided that this was all the preparation I needed.

First round, I drew Retribution with Thyron. He had Sylys, a Banshee, a Griffon, some Halberdiers, some Sentinels, a Thane, Eiryss2 and Sir I-don’t-hit-like-a-truck-but-trucks-hit-like-me3. I lost the roll and went second, on Two Fronts.

There is some running and shuffling from my opponent, and then there is the first turn I rehearsed just before. Some highlights include Hoof It on Warders before charging up, Janissa sneaking a wall out just in front of Grissel, and the Pyre doing the Ring of Fire with the Fire Eaters4. Much crooning of Johnny Cash ensued.

Over the following turns, I control my opponent’s army with Grissel’s feat and Cacaphony, clear off jam with the Fire Eaters, and bully stuff with Mulg and Hallowed Avenger (which went up in turn 2). More highlights include Sir I-don’t-hit-like-a-truck-but-trucks-hit-like-me with Storm Rager taking out two Warders on the charge and surviving the other three Warders trying to avenge their friends, and Mulg charging out to the Banshee with Hallowed Avenger, just because he could. Free damage is free damage, and maybe I could take out a system or something, since Mulg had still Flaming Fists up. I rolled 1-1-2 for damage (some Moorhouse magic must have crept from my shirt to my dice there), which made the whole adventure rather irrelevant, but hey. It was fun.

In the end I killed everything apart from Thyron, and got the scenario win that goes with that.

Second round, I draw Minions with Maelok. It’s the two of everything list: two Bullsnappers, two Posse, two Croak Raiders, and two Witch Doc Crocs. We’re playing Fire Support, and I opt to go second, after quite some pondering. I wasn’t sure I would be able to close the gap with his army in turn two, which meant he would at least lose the first turn of shooting5.

So, my opponent runs, I do my signature turn one. In round two, I learn that his shooting is quite effective, not in the least because my models that were gourded and set on fire take boosted damage rolls on the fire damage as well.

So, I shoot stuff with my Fire Eaters first, and then reluctantly make the fire go out with the Stone. I kill some more stuff, I control my opponent’s army with the feat, get Hallowed Avenger up on Mulg, and shnack some random Gators.

Grind fests being grindy, I shake things up by charging Mulg at his two Bull Snappers and eating them, ending up close to Maelok. My opponent then tries to assassinate me, fails, and doesn’t quite manage to get away with Maelok – a Hallowed Avenger charge half way through his turn doesn’t really help his cause.

My turn: Mulg Smash.

Round three, I face a Mercenary player on Outflank with McBain, who somehow snuck past both Butcher3 and Kromac2 with a Nomad, a Renegade, a Pirate boat with 3 rifles, Hawk, Walls, Doc, Bosun and Rockbottom, Kayazy Eliminators, the Mutineers, Aiyana&Holt, and because he didn’t have solos yet, Gorman and Eiryss2. Yes, I needed an app to reconstruct that list. No, he definitely didn’t have Dougal, and yes, he should have.

I go first this time, and play my signature round one, albeit not as flawlessly as I had the previous games. For example, I decided that it was a great idea to run my Fire Eaters forward, which meant the two Trolls got shot by the Sea Dogs for their trouble – the same Sea Dogs that were right in my face with Countermeasures. I charged forward and feated, while trying to kill stuff. My Fire Eater Pyg shot Eiryss2, but that was about it. I saved myself the humiliation of seeing a lowly Sea Dog being suckered off instead of Hawk, by simply missing her with Grissel. In return, my opponent didn’t do all that much either6, apart from knifing two Warders in the right hand zone with two charging Eliminators – Harm, Gang and Combo Strike meant they hit at effective P+S 17, which seems to do the trick. He feated on about all the important models, which made my following turn a bit of a stand-around-and-eat-out-of-your-nose thing.

I tried to work around his feat by setting lots of things on fire, the Pyre and the Pyg Fire Eater did a great job there. Also, Mulg decided that the Nomad was dead. He then tried to smack one Eliminator too, but missed his boosted 10. Grissel walked into the right hand zone and shot my Warder in the back, tagging one Eliminator, which left the second Eliminator to be killed by the two remaining Warders on a hard 10. Sometimes, you just roll what you need. In the other zone, my other Warders laid down the law and killed the things that weren’t feated on. Grissel dominates to 2.

My opponent’s turn again, the fire on Zira and Hawk went out (dammit). The Mule shot and slammed Mulg into Janissa’s wall that stood right behind him, and a smattering of solos (Doc, Bosun and Rockbottom) entered the right hand zone to contest. In the other zone, some weapons were flailed without much effect, and some tough checks were made too. I shook Mulg’s KD, and thanks to being damaged, Mulg could reach the contesting solos and eat them. On the other side, the Warders took out Hawk and Zira, Holt got sprayed to death by my Pyg Fire Eater, and the Pyre did something too. It was looking good, I went to 4 control points.

My opponent did some things on his turn, but didn’t manage to contest any more, which means I went to 5 and won.

Some observations: everything that isn’t a solo in this list is absolutely great. In this specific setup, Saxon is rather useless – Warders will have pathfinder most of the time, the Stone doesn’t really need it, and Saxon can’t help Mulg. Furthermore, while she is absolutely bonkers, the list doesn’t really need Janissa either. She might therefore be better in a second yet-to-be-determined list.

Mulg and Hallowed Avenger is a major thing. The pressure on your opponent’s positioning is huge, and the out of turn movement might mean that Mulg can get by without speed buff.

So, how to bring this list up to 50 … one could just add a second unit of Fire Eaters and some solos. Braylen is a nice stand alone package for spot removal, a Thrullg is useful in some matchups, while Gobbers or a Feralgeist are nice things to have. Another option is a Fennblade Kithkar and maybe a Stone Scribe Chronicler, or just two Kithkars.

Still. I said that Janissa isn’t necessary. Taking her out gets us 11 points, which means: Long Riders, or the Grissel List With All The Things:

Grissel

*Mulg

*Pyre Troll

Full Krielstone + UA

Full Long Riders

Fire Eaters

2x Full Warders

Saxon Orrik

Try it7.

Klaw



(1) That fart’s got some major hang time.

(2) Since he admitted that he thinks he’s just not good enough to play Grissel, I totally own him.

(3) Also known as Sir “Klaw-doesn’t-give-a-damn-about-my-name-because-I’m-some-elf-on-a-horse”

(4) If you only have one unit, I guess it’s probably better to deploy the Fire Eaters on a line instead of in a triangle. All Fire Eaters will be set on fire regardless, but you win the base size of the Pyg with regards to deployment and the final position of the Pyre after turn one. This consideration can be made for a two-unit Ring of Fire as well.

(5) In hindsight, the effect on the shooting is minimal, there is more effect relative to scenario. I would be in the middle of the board on turn two, but going second, I would be able to score then. This lures my opponent into running up turn one, which inevitably makes the gap between our armies smaller. Sometimes, I do think about this game a bit.

(6) Quite the shocker there

(7) NOW!!