The Story:
Socal open is the Culmination of a year long Journey for me. Competing for me is not so much about rank and wins as it is the Path to growth and constantly chasing a higher level of skill. For all of 2022, I played the arguably worst army in the game, Kruleboyz, and resolved to master them. I chose them in no small part because it would be a huge challenge. I knew that if I played the strongest armies it wouldn’t force me to learn and grow nearly as much; And grow I did but after a year on the struggle bus even I needed a bit of a break from the frustration of randomness in a competitive game.

I picked up Idoneth because while they’re not a power army, they’re close to 50%, and in my thinking, that means the better player should win. The fish elves would be a great metric to judge my progress and see how I measured up to the best in a fair fight, but I also still hold growth as my main goal, so I set a new mission for myself. I wanted to win an RTT, or 4-1+ a GT, with every subfaction in IDK.

My first result was with Nautilar in Arizona, playing to a strong 4-1 finish with Frostheart phoenix and turtle to create a tanky death ball. Next, at Old Town Throwdown summer smash, I played to another 4-1 with Fuethan just before the buffs. That was a hard, fought grind, but I squeezed it out. After that, I. picked up Dhom-Hain and got a top 8 with 3-1-1 in Arizona smite club open, but I couldn’t quite get it, so I had to try again. Which brings us to the Socal open with my new and improved list

The List:

Army Faction: Idoneth Deepkin
– Subfaction: Dhom-Hain
– Grand Strategy: Dominion of the Deep Ones
– Triumph: Bloodthirsty

LEADERS
Isharann Tidecaster (130)*
– General
– Command Traits: Teachings of the Túrscoll
– Spells: Hoarfrost
Battlemage (100)*
– Magic of the Realms: Wildform (Ghur)
Akhelian Thrallmaster (100)**
Eidolon of Mathlann Aspect of the Storm (300)**
– Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome
Akhelian Thrallmaster (100)**

BATTLELINE
Namarti Thralls (220)**
– Icon Bearer
Namarti Thralls (220)**
– Icon Bearer
Namarti Thralls (110)**
– Icon Bearer

BEHEMOTH
Akhelian Leviadon (400)**
– Mount Traits: Reverberating Carapace

OTHER
Akhelian Allopexes (150)**
– Retarius Net Launcher, Barbed Hooks and Blades
Akhelian Allopexes (150)**
– Retarius Net Launcher, Barbed Hooks and Blades

TERRAIN
1 x Gloomtide Shipwreck (0)

CORE BATTALIONS
*Andtorian Acolytes
**Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: 1980/2000

When building the Dhom Hain list, I knew I’d have to lean into its strategy as hard as I possibly could if I wanted it to work. Dhom-hain is not an army of reasonable choices. It is an army of explosive, risky power. With this in mind I looked to maximize the namarti savages rule, which allows me to charge if I kill everything within 3’ (and I’m going first in the round) and then fight again (not immediately).

Step 1: Killing everything within 3”.
Thralls can hit pretty hard, but on their own they’re just not getting there most of the time. They need a ton of support to do their job. 2 Thrallmasters granting exploding 6’s and reroll 1’s to hit up their consistency a ton, as well as the Leviadon giving them +1 to hit targets Wholly within 15”. These abilities combine to make the Thralls hit more times than they even have attacks. On average, dive 41 attacks from 20 thralls will hit 47-48 times. On top of that, the storm grants +1 to the wound, and Hoarfrost can increase their rend by 1-2 if you get a little lucky.

All of these auras combine to make an absolute blender of a unit, but it is 1030 points of buff pieces to set up a 220 point thrall unit.

Step 2: Charging out of phase.
If I manage to kill everything around me, I can immediately attempt a charge. This is super powerful, but anyone who has played it knows it’s not as amazing as it sounds. The thing about charging out of phase is that you can not use the command to reroll that charge, so you’re extremely reliant on the dice. I found a solution to that problem, by running 1980, I often had a triumph to reroll, which immediately adds some consistency. Additionally, the Isharann ritual for +1 to run and charge on flood tide helps things line up in your favor. But the real bit to seal the deal is the ghurish battlemage, who’s spell grants +2 to run and charge. Having run and charge, +3 to run and charge, with both a command and a triumph to reroll, and being able to charge a second time can give the thralls a max threat range of 53” in a single turn if everything lined up perfectly, and allows you to pop off much more consistently.

With this game plan laid out, and everything tuned to my goals, it was time to really put it to the test at the Socal open


THE GAMES:

Round 1 vs Frank Deloachs Big Waaagh on Geomantic Pulse

Army Faction: Orruk Warclans
– Army Type: Big Waaagh!
– Grand Strategy: Waaagh!
– Triumphs: Indomitable

LEADER
1 x Orruk Weirdnob Shaman (90)*
– General
– Command Traits: Shaman of the Chilled Lands
– Spells: Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork, Foot of Gork
1 x Wardokk (80)*
– Spells: Merciless Blizzard, Gorkamorka’s War Cry
1 x Wurrgog Prophet (170)*
– Artefacts: Glowin’ Tattooz
– Spells: Hoarfrost, Levitate
1 x Gobsprakk (240)***
1 x Orruk Warchanter (120)***
– Warbeats: Fixin’ Beat
1 x Orruk Warchanter (120)***
– Warbeats: Get ’Em Beat

BATTLELINE
5 x Orruk Brutes (140)**
– Brute Boss
– Gore-choppa
– Boss Choppa
– Jagged Gore-hacka
5 x Orruk Brutes (140)**
– Brute Boss
– Gore-choppa
– Jagged Gore-hacka
– Boss Choppa
10 x Orruk Ardboys (220)***
– Gorkamorka Glyph Bearer
– Ardboy Boss
– Ardboy Choppas

OTHER
6 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (340)**
– Gore-grunta Boss
– Jagged Gore-hacka
6 x Weirdbrute Wrekkaz (250)**
3 x Morgok’s Krushas (80)**

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Andtorian Acolytes
**Ironjawz Fist
***Warlord

TOTAL POINTS: (1990/2000)

The game began with me taking away the top of turn and flipping the tides so that when push came to shove in this beatdown matchup, I’d have control of turn 2. I had deployed as a dense castle in the center with flanking sharks and one wizard in a corner. 

Frank came in with pigs but was surprised by how hard my crack back was as my pile ins removed 5/6 pigs.

On my turn, I moved up and scored magical dominance from standing in the corner. Frank couldn’t afford to expose his Gobbsprakk just to shut off my tactic. for the rest of the game, I neglected to attempt any spell casts so as to deny him Gobbsprakk mortals.

Turn 2 came and I had always strikes first vs his entirely melee army. He had top of turn but couldnt accomplish much without taking huge damage first. On my turn I  proceeded to take out multiple other units and then doubled him to secure the win. Franks list was very nasty but Dhom hain was a solid counter to it.

Round 2 vs the Noog’s BOC on Fountains of Frost

Army Faction: Beasts of Chaos
– Army Subfaction: Darkwalkers
– Grand Strategy: Desecrating Brayherd
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

LEADER
1 x Doombull (180)*
– General
– Command Traits: Bestial Cunning
– Artefacts: Brayblast Trumpet
1 x Great Bray-Shaman (100)**
– Spells: Merciless Blizzard

BATTLELINE
10 x Ungors (80)**
– Brayhorn Blower
– Banner Bearer
– Halfhorn
– Pitted Blade
9 x Bullgors (630)**
– Bloodkine
– Warheard Drummer
– Warheard Banner Bearer
– Paired Cleaving Axes
10 x Ungor Raiders (130)**

OTHER
10 x Ungor Raiders (130)*
6 x Beasts of Chaos Tzaangor Enlightened (180)*
6 x Beasts of Chaos Tzaangor Enlightened (180)*
3 x Beasts of Chaos Slaangor Fiendbloods (130)*
10 x Ungor Raiders (130)**
1 x Cockatrice (120)**

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Battle Regiment
**Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: (1990/2000)

Flipping the tides for Always Strikes first turn 2 meant that when he had to come in off the board edges, he couldn’t afford to be aggressive. He played far back instead, but I used chain charging to wipe ~1300 points of models in a single turn and lock him into a corner. The extra mobility i got from multi charges meant his backline castle ended up getting shredded despite his careful placement.

He tried to sneak back into the game, but idoneth mobility and me winning all 4 priority rolls helped me counter his clever mobility tactics. Despite the heavy kill ratio, the overall points scored were fairly close as it was a 6 objective map, and BOC is incredible on maps like that

Round 3 vs Brian’s Khorne on Nexus Collapse

Army Faction: Blades of Khorne
– Army Subfaction: Reapers of Vengeance
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs

LEADER
1 x Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage (310)
1 x Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage (310)*
1 x Bloodsecrator (120)*
– Nullstone Adornments: Pouch of Nulldust
1 x Wrath of Khorne Bloodthirster (300)**
– General
– Command Traits: Firebrand
– Artefacts: Halo of Blood
– Prayers: Bronzed Flesh
1 x Slaughterpriest (110)**
– Bloodbathed Axe
– Prayers: Blood Sacrifice
1 x Realmgore Ritualist (110)**
– Prayers: Killer Instinct
– Aspects of the Champion (Archived): Tunnel Master (Archived)

BATTLELINE
10 x Blood Warriors (190)*
– Blood Champion
– Icon Bearer
– Goreaxe and Gorefist
– Goreglaive
5 x Flesh Hounds (100)*
10 x Blood Warriors (190)*
– Icon Bearer
– Blood Champion
– Goreaxe and Gorefist
5 x Flesh Hounds (100)*

INVOCATION
1 x Hexgorger Skulls (50)

TERRAIN
1 x Skull Altar (0)

OTHER
1 x Khorgorath (90)*

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Battle Regiment
**Command Entourage – Magnificent

TOTAL POINTS: (1980/2000)

This matchup was decided more than anything by it being the first time he had ever played the mission. It’s a weird one that you have to get a few reps to understand. The score was extremely lopsided, but the game itself was really techy and fun. It was a much closer game than it looked on paper overall. 

His double boom-thirsters (mortal wound AOE demons) were terrifying, and I spent the whole game very carefully measuring to make sure they couldn’t blow my army up. Turn 4, I messed that up, and he threatened to bomb me but failed to roll any 6s even with an extra attack. After that, all in play, I was able to clean up his forces bottom of 4.

Round 4 vs Kyle Calips OBR on spring the trap

Army Faction: Ossiarch Bonereapers
– Army Subfaction: Mortis Praetorians
– Grand Strategy: Barren Icescape
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

LEADER
1 x Katakros (500)*
1 x Arkhan the Black (380)**
1 x Liege-Kavalos (180)**
– General
– Command Traits: Mighty Archaeossian
– Artefacts: Lode of Saturation
1 x Mortisan Boneshaper (140)**
– Artefacts: Artisan’s Key
– Spells: Hoarfrost

BATTLELINE
5 x Kavalos Deathriders (190)*
– Mortek Hekatos
– Necrophoros
– Nadirite Blade
30 x Mortek Guard (130)*
– Mortek Hekatos
– 3 x Necrophoros
– Nadirite Blade
– 3 x Soulcleaver Greatblade
2 x Morghast Archai (220)*
– Spirit Halberd

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Battle Regiment
**Command Entourage – Magnificent

TOTAL POINTS: (2000/2000)

This game was by far the hardest one of the whole event. Kyle played an extremely tight game, including denying me a tactic by countercharging the opposite direction I expected and barely tagging a unit that wasn’t even the charge target. On the same note, I repeatedly forced him into difficult positions with movement tricks and pile ins. I ended up grabbing it basically off of a critical 6″ redeploy to take the game by just a point. 

The game was neck and neck from start to finish and until the very last moment I had no idea who would take it. Great game and a great opponent 

Round 5 vs Tads Gitz on power flux

Allegiance: Gloomspite Gitz
– Gittish Horde: Jaws of Mork
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: Overshadow
– Triumphs: Indomitable

LEADERS
Skragrott, The Loonking (230)**
Squigboss with Gnasha-squig (110)***
– General
– Command Trait: The Clammy Hand
Madcap Shaman (70)*
– Artefact: Moonface Mommet
– Lore of Primal Frost: Hoarfrost
Webspinner Shaman (65)*
– Lore of Primal Frost: Merciless Blizzard

BATTLELINE
24 x Squig Herd (280)***
– Reinforced x 1
24 x Squig Herd (280)***
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Boingrot Bounderz (300)**
– Reinforced x 1
5 x Boingrot Bounderz (150)**
5 x Boingrot Bounderz (150)**

OTHER
5 x Gobbapalooza (170)**
– Lore of the Moonclans: Itchy Nuisance
1 x Marshcrawla Sloggoth (170)**

CORE BATTALIONS
*Andtorian Acolytes
**Battle Regiment
***Battle Regiment

Total: 1975 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 3 / 4
Allies: 170 / 400
Wounds: 171
Drops: 4

I deployed my army as a melee castle with a wizard off to each side being terrain but up forward, making it nearly impossible for him to score magical dominance turn 1. My castle was just far enough back that he could realistically come into me, but it’d have to be full send. 

Tad decided to go for it but didn’t manage to connect the way he’d hoped, and my entire army piled in and mopped up his squigs. On my turn, I rushed up the board, tagged corners of units, and liked in to kill them after taking very little damage. 

Then I doubled him and tabled his entire army top of turn 2

It was honestly brutal, but we had a good laugh about it. He was left with a risky play, and it didn’t pan out. BY THE POWER OF MATHLANN, I HAVE THE POWER!!! (And a Golden ticket to the World Championship in the lost city of Atlanta)

SUMMARY:

All in All Dhom hain is a super fun faction to play, and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for exciting games, but I will also caution that it’s MUCH harder to play than it looks like. Most of the army is single wound infantry with 5+ saves, and all of your games are balanced on a knifes edge. If you want a heart-pounding, technically demanding, explosive army, then it is amazingly fun to play. Unfortunately, the Battlemage of Ghur is rotating out essentially immediately, so changes to the list will have to be made. Creativity and list tweaking is a huge part of the game, and i’m excited to find what new direction to take with it.