This week we’ve got something a little different for you, I’ve been wanting to scrape the brains of the community out there for more thoughts about competitive AoS. So why not start at the start, so to say! We’ve had a few people in the discord recently who have been attending their first tournaments and I thought this was a good chance to grab a random bystander and grill them to get the best info on starting out at tournaments for you all.
If you’re someone who is interested in heading to a tournament for your first time, I’ve also got a guide for first timers and some reflection on how to move on up from there. None of which Andrezzo seems to need as he’s already killing it out there and having a ball. On with the interview!
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Fittsy: First up, thanks for agreeing to this interview, Andrezzo! I’m really interested in your experience at your first tournament and what it felt like. What sort of armies do you play and how long have you been playing Age of Sigmar for?
Andrezzo: Thanks for this opportunity, make me feel much more important than I am… I’m not new to the hobby, I started too many years ago with WHFB 5th edition with my brother, then 7th edition and 40k with some friends but when adult life occurred I stopped for several years. Finally my children was old enough to play (at least that’s what I told myself) I jumped back again in 40k but when I discovered a club nearby I enjoyed it and here I discovered about AoS. And it was love at first game. I bought the Seraphon’ spearhead (it seems fair to begin again with the first army I ever played), then the second one and I jumped completely into the hobby. This was in October. Then suddenly my father passed away and the only way I find to relax, besides my family, was the hobby: I painted more minis in two months than in my entire life, I played at least once a week and I can state that warhammer saved my mental health in these months. To summarise, I have been playing Seraphon (and AoS) since November.
Fittsy: Never underestimate your own importance! It’s great to get the perspective of somebody new to the hobby and going to tournaments. Sorry to hear about your father! Good to hear though that the hobby could help you through a tough time. Wow though, so you’re only a couple of months into your AoS adventure and already hitting the tournaments, that’s amazing. What sort of list did you run?
Andrezzo: As I said I started from the two seraphon’ spearhead, I mixed them together (proxying something else) and playing step by step I realised what I enjoy the most and which style I preferred. I don’t like the idea to copy champions’ lists, so I preferred to create one of my own learning by mistakes and losses. I really love the new saurus and kroxigor design, and although their ability is quite strange and hard to activate I decided to make them the core of my list, and my personal record so far is playing with 40+9 of them! Then I tried (and still doing) to balance the rest of the list around them and the sunclaw starhost battle formation. After several adjustments (I must thank the Woehammer community discord for the help) I decided to bring this list.
Fittsy: That is an interesting list and you’ve chosen a good path by tailoring the list to the way you want to play. It sounds like you used the community well to get some feedback. Is there anything else that you did to prepare for your first tournament?
Andrezzo: I asked for advice to some friend of course but mainly, my army works well if every unit can buff the others, so I arranged at home a table with the three battleplans to try some set-up, to try understanding how could I manoeuvre my army and prepared two or three strategies for each game. And of course I made a match with my children in the battleplan I have never played before. With this method I have prepared in advance the set up and I could deploy my drops without over thinking.
Fittsy: That’s a good idea to practice the deployments. It’s something I recommend to newer players. Just to get a feel for that deployment and make the start of the game easier on yourself! Running through the first turns definitely helps too. Also, cool to involve your kids in your practise! I wouldn’t recommend having kids just for that reason but it’s definitely a side benefit! After all your preparation did you feel nervous about going to your first tournament?
Andrezzo: Having children is a very long-sighted plan to become a better Warhammer player XD. You’re not just preparing for a tournament; you’re playing with your sons, and nobody can blame you for that! My aim was to end every game with something still alive on the fifth turn; a bonus goal was being close to winning in the last round. Surprisingly, I was nervous. I had played rugby for almost two decades, and other sports before that, and my thoughts were: ‘OK, I’ll definitely lose every game, but this is the worst thing that can happen: nobody is going to beat me up’. Nevertheless, I was still anxious. Luckily, the tournament was at my own club, so I got involved in the preparation of tables and stuff to keep my mind busy. Then my first game started. I was paired with (I don’t like to say ‘against’, it’s a fun game, not a fight) one of the best players in my region, who had an army I wasn’t familiar with (Hellsmith of Hashut set up for heavy firing), and I had the first turn. I spent the first two CP redeploying the Slann after a bad move I made, and unbinding the Malevolent Maelstrom I had cast… But with a bit of luck and some bad rolls from my opponent, we had a nice game. I learnt a lot (he was very nice, patient, and taught me a lot) and the game was decided in the last turn, ending 51 to 56 in his favor. So, I accomplished my bonus goal in the very first game! I was happy but exhausted, and I hadn’t eaten yet! Now I could lose every match and still be satisfied with my tournament…
Fittsy: Ah, that’s nice to be at your own club for your first tournament! That sounds like a really exciting first game. What did you eat for lunch afterwards? And how did your other games go?
Andrezzo: The game was really close, but again, that was more down to my opponent’s bad luck than my own skill, of course! We spent lunchtime together (a sandwich and a slice of crostata—a traditional Italian jam tart) talking about the game and the local AoS scene. My second game was, once again, with a very experienced player. He was bringing his incredibly tough and successful Troggoth list (18 of them!) for a ‘last hurrah’. Even so, the atmosphere was extremely chill and relaxed; it was a very fun game and he even taught me a couple of tricks with Morbid Conjurations. My 20 Saurus met a grizzly end against his wall of Troggoths, but nevertheless, the game was quite close and ended 52-59. Finally, I played with another club member who ran a Nighthaunt army with a Black Coach, Lady Olynder, and plenty of Bladegheists and Pyregheists. The battleplan was Linked Ley Lines, and he just couldn’t shift my 20 Saurus from the central objective while my heavy hitters reached the centre of his army and blew it apart. Another fun game! We were both exhausted and ran out of time at the end of the third turn. It was my first win, 42 to 34, and the game was definitely in my favor but who knows…
Fittsy: 3 good games is the best result you can have. Tournament games are a really great place to learn. While you’re really focussed, you can learn some really important things to do or not to do. Are you already planning to go to more tournaments?
Andrezzo: Yeah, the very next day I negotiated with my wife the tournament deal: once a month I can attend one tournament, once every quarter a two days tournament. I did have a great time, I feel to have improved massively and understood that, like in sports, you can train hard as you like, but the real grow comes from real games and matches, and if nobody can beat you up even better!
Fittsy: That’s awesome! Great to hear that you had such a good time and it would be cool to find out how you go after a few more tournaments! Would you do anything differently next time and do you have any tips for other players thinking of going to their first tournament?
Andrezzo: I’m not aiming to be a ‘pro’ player (just a better one, I hope!), but so far I’m loving the process. With this schedule, I can reach almost 100 games per year (around 50 club nights and 40 tournament games), which I think is a great way to learn and grow. My principal aim is to be a solid sparring partner for the guys in my club—who are very strong right now—and to provide a challenge that helps them improve as well. I’m pushing forty (OMG!), but I’ve found a wonderful way to spend my free time, bond with my kids, and meet new friends who share the same passion. I live in Italy, and while I can’t speak for other countries, the AoS scene here is incredibly friendly. I feel welcome everywhere I go, and I believe the spirit of the game is the same all around the world. So, if you’re nervous about playing in a competitive environment: don’t be! Jump in and give it a go. You might not always have ‘hot dice’ like I did, but you will definitely meet great people and improve your game. Beyond that ‘moral’ message, I found that preparing my battleplan in advance was a huge help. It acted as an anchor and allowed me to make more sensible choices (or at least, that was my impression!). Last but not least: don’t wait until you know every single army, warscroll, or possibility because you never will. Just be confident in what your own list can do; know your strengths and your weaknesses. You can’t control the battleplans or what your opponent brings, so don’t overthink it. Be good with what you bring to the table, set a goal for the tournament, and enjoy it. If you don’t reach your goal, the worst that can happen is that you’ll have to try again next time. And remember: even if you lose every game, so what? No one is going to beat you up anyway!
Fittsy: You’re very passionate and your drive is clear. It looks like you’ve found a hobby which you’re enjoying very much. There is a great community around AoS and that’s a large part of what makes it so much fun to take part in tournaments! Thanks very much for taking your time to do the interview, it’s been a pleasure! Keep up the awesome attitude and hope to see you in a top 3 lists article soon!
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It was a ball to chat with Andrezzo about his experience. It was nice to think back to my own times before starting heading to tournaments.
If you’re in the area and want to check out these events, here’s the link to the one Andrezzo participated in: Battle of Melorian – 08/02/25 Circolo il Fortino Marina di Pisa. If you’re in the area, you can also get in contact with the club he’s a part of on Instagram!
Andrezzo really worked hard on his own preparation and I think he’s got some great advice there for new tournament players! So get out there, sign up to a tournament, and join in on all the fun!
