As I prepare for another event the Age of Chumps are attending the November edition of the BoBo event. The last of these was run when I was at Carnage last month, so really happy to be finally going to one of the events. – I’ve not been since Chrimbobo in 2018, which seems like an age ago!

Looking through the event pack, they are using the 20-0 system based on victory point difference:

I like this scoring system for those armies that normally struggle as there is always something to play for. This was especially relevant because of the awards available:

So, with a scoring system that rewards you even when losing, and a possibility of my Gitz actually picking up a trophy there was only one option… the Gloomspite Gitz would ride again!

Those who may have read my last article on the Gitz – A Gloomy Outing – will know that I struggled the last time I took the Squigs, but with a change in the FAQ, the main disadvantage of the Hoppers has been corrected.

This resolves a major issue I had with the Squig Hopper units where an enemy would ‘tag’ them in combat and they were neutered. Now we can retreat and still do mortal wounds, I hoped to get good value out of the 20 Squig Hoppers I intended to take. That said, there were still some changes to be made so I’m intending to take this:

General: Loonboss on Mangler Squig

The Loonboss on Mangler Squig is an expensive chap at 310 points, and I never seem to be able to get my worth out of him… he can (technically) hit like a train, but I always miss with him and his 12 wounds makes him very squishy… his random movement with no damage is okay (3D6″) but with a few wounds it can fall dramatically. That said he does have the greatest warscroll damage table in the game (he gets worse, then better!) which is a great use of design space.

He has the Arcane Tome (Flaming Weapon) so that I can give him the command trait Dodgy Character (re-roll successful attacks against him). I hope that this will allow him to charge a unit and ignore unleash hell, or put off Sentinels and Longstrikes from shooting at him. However I fear he will die often!

He’s not a complete loss in a Squig army though, as his command ability is +1 to wound for all friendly squig units wholly within 18″. Making the Squig Herd not too shabby.

Madcap Shaman

This little guy is squishy… like very squishy, but he holds my second artefact – Moonface Mommet. This little doll causes an enemy unit within 12″ to be at -1 armour save… I’ll deploy him with the Squig Herd, and hope he survives longer than a Spinal Tap Drummer… although at 4 wounds I don’t hold out much hope. He has Hand of Gork for the threat, but will likely cast Mystic Shield on the Squig Herd more often.

Fungoid Cave-Shaman

My third character and third wizard has a 4+ ward so effectively twice as many wounds as the Madcap. He can give command points on a 4+ and also comes with Hand of Gork… although he’s likely to try to cast it.

Battleline 1 – 36 Squig Herd

I love these vicious little blighters and at 72 wounds, they are more resilient than a Gargant at the same points (480 points), and can do some damage with 2 attacks at rend 1. They also explode if they flee, and can come back as an 18 Squig Herd if they die…. big, unwieldy, slow, off-meta but such great models with loads of character. They’ll be at the front of the army with the Mangler, Madcap and Mirebrute hiding within 18″, 12″ and 18″ of them!

With all out attack they attack in ranks of 2 (reach 1″) with 2 attacks each (see Snufflers below to increase this), 3+/2+/-1/D1. Sure you need 2 command points, but with the shrine I don’t need it for battleshock.

Battleline 2 – 20 Squig Hoppers

If you look up ‘left-field’ in the dictionary you may well see 20 Hoppers staring back at you. They have random movement (3D6″), are 1″ reach on 32mm bases, and have a bravery of, well, a goblin (4)… so why 20?

To get maximum use out of Boing! Boing! Boing! which does a mortal wound on a 4+ to one unit for each Hopper that moves across. Can you run and retreat – heck yeah; you can now. So charge the herd, get bogged down and then these guys fly over, cause 10 mortal wounds and then either charge in for the kill or wait for the next victim. Great stuff(*)

Battleline 3 – 10 Squig Hoppers

What’s more mobile, versatile and has a small footprint than 20 Hoppers but with all the fun…? 10 Hoppers! This is the unit that really needs to keep my Hold the Line objective so they can’t take the risks of the 20 unit, but they are still fun; are 20 wounds and will take some killing — unless anyone brings the shooting meta… then they’re in trouble.

With a cheaky mortal wound output here, and 4D6″ movement to run onto objectives, they are my secret weapon (not really). Like the 20 Hoppers they are Great Stuff (*)

Other units – 2 x Sneaky Snufflers

Sneaky Snufflers are a great warscroll – except the not moving part, which is odd – but at 75 points they give 12 wounds, and give +1 attack to Squigs & Grotz – just beware of the key word bingo. If disaster strikes, I can even do it twice on one unit, doing 2D6 mortal wounds, but giving +1 attack. Who doesn’t love the idea of Squigs with 4 attacks swarming the unit that’s just attacked… mu-ha-ha!

Other units – Rippa Snarlfangs

I’ve written and spoken about Rippa’s until I’m blue in the face, and it’s starting to get through… the most popular unit in Destruction (**) they are able to complete battle tactics in their sleep… or provide much needed 6″ pile in moves to avoid Unleash Hell. Want to know more… read about them here!

Other units – 5 Boingrot Bounders

Are these little armoured knights good in 5s? Sure Varanguard cope in 3s, so these little guys will do just fine – with only 5 models I can afford to give them a more wide ranging role, or save them for a late Hand of Gork. They’ll die a lot and often, but if (when) they do, they can come back through the shrine if there are no other dead yet.

Ally 1 – Marshcrawler Shoggoth

Still not an ally in the app for some reason, this chap is a great addition to the army from the Orruk Warclan book, with the ‘Krew Drummer’ special rule giving all friendly units wholly within 18″ +1 to hit. Also, it’s not a command ability so it can be stacked with All out attack, if you’re playing anyone sneaky enough to use -1 to hit abilities.

Perfect for when you come up against Stabbas and Shootas in the meta-defining mirror that’s almost certain when we play gitz! (***). I’m painting my first one up for this tournament (painting 2 at once for ease), and I imagine he’ll be appearing in a few other armies over the weekend… maybe in a certain Trogg army!

So the final list looks like this:

Allegiance: Gloomspite Gitz
– Option: Gloomspite Gitz
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Loonboss on Mangler Squigs (310)*
– General
– Command Trait: Dodgy Character
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon
Madcap Shaman (80)*
– Artefact: Moonface Mommet
– Lore of the Moonclans: The Hand of Gork
Fungoid Cave-Shaman (95)*
– Lore of the Moonclans: The Hand of Gork

Battleline
36 x Squig Herd (480)**
– Reinforced x 2
20 x Squig Hoppers (360)**
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Squig Hoppers (180)**

Units
6 x Sneaky Snufflers (75)*
6 x Sneaky Snufflers (75)*
3 x Rippa’s Snarlfangs (70)
5 x Boingrot Bounderz (105)
1 x Marshcrawla Sloggoth (150)

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Hunters of the Heartlands

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1980 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 3 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 201
Drops: 11

I’ll let you know how I get on – hoping for 2 wins… but in reality will be happy with 1 win and 1 draw! as well as some points for close losses! Oh, and top Gloomspite Gitz of course!

So, what do you think of the force… whose going to place higher – me or Stuart (Troggs!) and who will win most friends? Hopefully I’ll have all the answers to these questions at the end of the weekend. Roll on BoBo!

— Declan

(*) – Player’s experience of Hoppers may not reflect the rosy picture painted above.. there’s a reason Gitz aren’t in Tier A!

(**) or most popular unit for me… which is clearly the same thing anyway.

(***) probably more due to going 0-3, than 3-0 but <shrugs>