Atlantic City Open took place in New Jersey, USA on 11th and 12th June. It involved 73 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament.

Before I jump into the Top Three, I wanted to remind everyone of our friendly Discord server where you can join in the conversation with the Woehammer crew and suggest articles or series for the website.

Also if there’s a one day or two day tournament you’d like us to cover drop us a comment on this post and we’ll have a look at it for you.

Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
– Subfaction: Drowned Men
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Bloab Rotspawned (300)*
– Lore of Malignance: Magnificent Buboes
Festus the Leechlord (150)*
– Lore of Malignance: Gift of Disease
Lord of Afflictions (210)*
– General
– Command Trait: Overpowering Stench
– Artefact: The Splithorn Helm

Battleline
4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)*
– Reinforced x 1
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 1980 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 1 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 123
Drops: 1

Declan: The Drowned Men with Pusgoyle Blightlords is having something of a impact on the meta at the moment. Lots of flies were seen at AoS Worlds and at events before and since. The Lord of Afflications seems to be a given for the battleline, and the army is very quick – like ‘old’ Nurgle quick. The slow chip of mortal wounds from disease markers don’t seem to slow the game down much (in my experience) either.

It’s a good army – well piloted by Emma – but may be in danger of becoming the ‘new’ Dragons!

Army Faction: Soulblight Gravelords
– Army Type: Legion of Blood
– Grand Strategy: Predator’s Domain
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

LEADER
Vampire Lord (140)*
– General
– Command Traits: Master of Magic
– Artefacts: Arcane Tome
– Spells: Spirit Gale, Invigorating Aura
Neferata (365)*
– Spells: Decrepify
Mannfred Von Carstein (380)**
– Spells: Fading Vigour

BATTLELINE
Deathrattle Skeletons (85)*
Deathrattle Skeletons (85)*
Black Knights (100)**
Black Knights (100)**

ENDLESS SPELL
Horrorghast (65)

OTHER
1 x Blood Knights (390)***
1 x Grave Guard (280)***
– Great Wight Blade

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Battle Regiment
**Battle Regiment
***Hunters of the Heartlands

TOTAL POINTS: (1990/2000)

Declan: Ah… Soulblight Gravelords. They have been good since their book was released and Jeremy has piloted this to a superb 5-0 in a large field. Well done to him. It’s a low drop but definitely reliant on the Mortarchs. I’ve not seen Neferata before (although as fate would have it, I am reading a Black Library book about her) but Manfred is a superb caster – sort of a mini-Nagash – and both Mortarchs are monsters in their own right.

It’s worth noting despite the entry Peter has got this from that the Blood Knights and Grave Guard are reinforced… I know what 20 Graveguard can do (ouch), but I’m glad I’m not facing 10 Blood Knights in one unit! Wow… and ouch.

Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
– Subfaction: Drowned Men
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Lord of Afflictions (210)*
– General
– Command Trait: Overpowering Stench
– Artefact: The Splithorn Helm
Be’Lakor, the Dark Master (360)*
Plague Priest (85)*
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Curse

Battleline
4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)*
– Reinforced x 1
4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)*
– Reinforced x 1
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*

Units
1 x Cockatrice (95)*
1 x Cockatrice (95)*

Endless Spells & Invocations
The Burning Head (20)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 1965 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 123
Drops: 1

Declan: Bill is always there or there abouts at tournaments and this is no exception with a 4-1. With more Pusgoyle Blightlords (GW may run out at this rate), and the required Lord of Afflictions, Bill has gone for Belakor. As most readers will know he can ‘turn off’ a unit meaning that a unit may not act in a turn. It is not fun charging and then finding you can’t fight, and if you’re lucky enough to double-turn Bill’s army… the ability lasts until his next hero phase.

Army Faction: Idoneth Deepkin
– Subfaction: Nautilar
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumph: Inspired

LEADERS
Lotann (115)**
Isharann Tidecaster (150)**
– General
– Command Traits: Teachings of the Túrscoll
– Artefacts of Power: Rune of the Surging Gloomtide
– Spells: Steed of Tides
Akhelian Thrallmaster (110)**

BATTLELINE
Akhelian Leviadon (500)*
– Mount Traits: Reverberating Carapace
Namarti Thralls (260)*
Namarti Thralls (260)*
Drakespawn Knights (125)**
Drakespawn Knights (125)**
Namarti Reavers (170)**
Namarti Reavers (170)**

TERRAIN
1 x Gloomtide Shipwreck (0)

CORE BATTALIONS
*Hunters of the Heartlands
**Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: 1985/2000

Declan: Peter’s selection of one to watch here is fourth… so no real prizes to him for finding it…! But it is another 4-1, and it has lots of Thralls. With the new book the Eels were quickly dropped by most players and it’s because of the output of the Thralls and that they get bonuses against models with 1 wound, and models with 3+ wounds. They are made of paper, but they are solid paper hammers… smash! I’m just glad I run a few Ardboyz for these guys — perfect, as long as it’s my turn, I go first and it’s not High Tide (ah well…. maybe not perfect then!!)

Final Tournament Placings