Grandfather's Gardeners

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Thanks go to GW for providing a review copy to make this content possible.

Introduction

[D]AVY, [P]HIL, [B]RIAN, & [S]KYLER

D: Oh baby! Nurgle demons at last! With some gloriously gross models to trot out, I can't wait to see what these fellers are brewing up.

WARSCROLl

D: This seems kind of horrible until you get to the next rule... and the uninspired sides of the fighter cards.

D: And by next rule, I mean the rule after this one.

This is the one that tells you to use the cycle's number for damage characteristic on four of your fighters. It means your opponent has to worry about any one fighter being able to do two or even three damage depending on where the cycle is at. It's a real head game.

D: There it is! Imperturbable helps keep your guys from getting one-shot right past their inspire. And it protects you all the way through the entire turn, so gambits can't contribute if two damage was dealt in the action step. This should incentivize enemies to soften you up with a little chip damage *first* which you can maybe manipulate to your advantage.

D: And there's that pesky heal space! Shoveling extra healing into your power deck is well-advised too, given that you may be doing a little self damage to manipulate the cycle.

D: Well, it's got seven spaces on it, so that's thematic! The numbers here represent how much damage each fighter (other than loveable Squort) will do on an attack. More on that later. For now, pay attention to how the tracker moves. One space after every one of your turns, so each round, the slowest it'll go is four. But you (and your opponent!) can accelerate it with manipulating who is holding more treasure and when your fighters take damage. That means this is the rare warband that is interested in self-damage from power cards.

FIGHTERS

Uninspired
D: The boss. Range 2 with access to two or even three damage is exciting. He can actually benefit by staying uninspired for much of the game, just to cap damage, because when he inspires...

Inspired
D: ...he gains accuracy but no extra health, which means vulnerable is vulnerable. The only gain here is accuracy, which isn't to be sniffed at with a range two attack, but may not be worth risking the two bounty.

Uninspired
D: Slunge. The only fighter beholden to the cycle that doesn't have range 2. But acceptable accuracy and the same variable threat window on damage.

Inspired
D: Preeeeetty modest boost here. Three swords is less accurate baseline than two hammers, but does increase the chance you'll pull off an overrun if that's important to your strategy. Ensnare helps bump it a little more in the accuracy category.

This *is* where we see inspiration grants an extra point of health, propelling this guy out of the vulnerable state that got him inspired.

Uninspired
D: Strewg. Let me take a moment to just enjoy this guy sowing maggots out of some weird intestine pouch. Nurgle is so gross and so great. Your other two bounty fighter with comparable accuracy to the boss.

Inspired
D: Strewg gets that premier accuracy, also at range 2, and extra health. This is a nice inspire.

Uninspired
D: Dripterus, unsurprisingly has accuracy issues given that a giant tick has pierced his brain. Dudes got problems. He does have range 2, though.

Inspired
D: Bumped into the realm of more acceptable accuracy by the inspire. This is the guy I'm probably willing to put into dangerous spots if needed.

Uninspired
D: Loveable Squort. Your only two dice save fighter. Unfortunately, it'll need a health boost to really benefit from the Imperturbable rule. It'll have a little bit of a trickier time inspiring.

Inspired
D: But seems pretty worth it! That crit grievous remains, but with an extra die and an extra damage, Squort is a source for threatening three damage *regardless* of where you are on the cycle.

Summary

D: Well this one absolutely nails the suggested Mastery tag. That cycle, the healing, the imperturbable rule, all totally nailing the Nurgle theme. Your ability to truly leverage this warband will hinge around just how tricky you can get with the cycle, and how you can leverage those mind-games with your opponent. A little self damage and a little healing will keep those in full effect. Really excited about this one!

The Mortal RealmsNovember 23, 2024Comment