After a one-day hiatus, Competitive Innovations in the Mortal Realms is back. As we come toward the end of the year we have only one event on the docket, but it's a big one. A major GT up in Boston by the name of Everwinter is on it's third year and many of the biggest names showed up. So let's take a look at the prodigious winners!

Everwinter GT

110-player, 5-round Grand Tournament in Waltham, MA, United States on December 09 2023. All the lists for this event can be found in Best Coast Pairings.

The Showdown

Anthony Trentanelli - Skaven: Grey Seer/Pestilens mashup



vs.

Jon Anderson - Idoneth Deepkin (Fuethán): Allopex Spam

Thoughts

An interesting mashup to be sure. While Skaven don't have much in the way of a set archtype for list building, this is definitely an interesting take. Very melee focused in opposition to the more ranged Idoneth, the Idoneth can fire away from across the table in relative safety, while the Pestilens and Grey Seers must trudge up the board very slowly.

However, if Allopex lists have a weakness, it's that they need to close the gap if they want to take objectives. In order to do so, the Skaven will make that quite difficult, between the rather resiliant in melee censer bearers and the mortal wounds and objective lockdown of Skabbik and friends. In the end the Skaven held their ground and refused to budge.

Result

Skaven Victory - 28 - 13

1st Place - Anthony Trentanelli

Credit: Jeremy Paul

The List

See showdown

Archetype

Grey Seer/Pestilens mashup

Thoughts

A fascinating list composition. The Pestilens focus allows them to be deadly if they can close the gap, which is doable thanks to the included Soulscream Bridge. With Rabid-Rabid! from one of the plague priests that's 4 Rend -1, Damage 2 attacks per model, 5 if they made the charge. If you try and hit back, they'll slow you down with -1 to wound, and Death Frenzy will let them take you down with them!

The new Underworlds Warband Skabbik's Plaguepack fills a useful niche, locking down objectives from being taken, and doing a fair share of mortal wounds if they get into combat. Finally, the triple Screaming Bells offer support with Death Frenzy but also beg someone to come up short to kill them, unleashing a Verminlord on the table to bring the fight to the enemy's bigger pieces.

2nd Place - Anthony Lawrence

Credit: Charlie A

The List

Archetype

Slaanesh good stuff with S2D allies

Thoughts

Most of the stuff here isn't too surprising. The Contorted Epitome, Blissbarb Seekers and Archers are keystones in any Slaanesh list. The Masque is a very useful tool for thwarting an enemy with poor deployment and the Shardspeaker and Lord of Pain are your workhorse support pieces

The inclusion of Furies and Untamed beasts are interesting, functioning as very cheap screens and ways to grab out of the way objectives.

3rd Place - Dean Bilz

Credit: Matthew Herrington

The List

See showdown

Archetype

Aggressive Saurus

Thoughts

The lack of a Slann is surprising, but the spell list for Coalesced is a fair bit less impressive than in Starborne. This list is rather aggressive, with the Aggradon Lancers and Saurus Veteran are able to make a pretty impressive early game charge while being resilient in their own right. The Saurus Warriors can operate as screens or objective holders as neccesary while the Stegadon and Hunters of Huachi offer ranged support from behind.

The Best of the Rest

15 more lists scored 4-1

• 4th - Benjamin Schimmoller - Soulblight Gravelords (Vyrkos Dynasty): Zombie Spam
• 5th - Geoffrey Truchetti - Stormcast Eternals (Hammer of Sigmar): Tempestors and Dragons with the surprise inclusion of Questors.
• 6th - Jake DiBattista - Gloomspite Gitz (King's Gitz): Massive Squig Herd, Troggoths and allied in Kruelboyz Bolt Boys.
• 7th - Mike McAbee - Cities of Sigmar (Hallowheart): CoS Good Stuff
• 8th - Christopher Schelling - Sons of Behemat (Stomper Tribe): Kragnos, Warstomper and...the Rabblerowza Regiment of Renown?!
• 9th - Matt Nguyen - Beasts of Chaos (Darkwalkers): Beasts of Chaos Good Stuff.
• 10th - Alexander Gonzalez - Blades of Khorne (Reapers of Vengeance): Bloodletter blob with Herohammer backup and a Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury.
• 11th - Samuel Gould - Seraphon (Dracothian's Tail): Kroak and Slann throwing comets down from afar.
• 12th - Jeremy Veysseire - Kharadron Overlords (Barak Mhornar): Dual Frigates and Thunderer Squads.
• 13th - Jon Anderson - Idoneth Deepkin (Fuethán): See Showdown.
• 14th - Basil Inferrera - Seraphon (Fangs of Sotek):  Kroak and Slann power couple yet again.
• 15th - Leo Rautonen - Kharadron Overlords (Barak Nar): Ironclad towing two squads of Endrinriggers
• 16th - Jiwan noah Singh - Cities of Sigmar (Hallowheart): Dark Elf focus with Sorceresses, Black Ark Corsairs and Black Guard.
• 17th - Benjamin Mohlie - Ogor Mawtribes (Boulderhead): Frostlord and two Huskards supported by a Slaughtermaster and Yhetees.
• 18th - Derrek Perham - Seraphon (Fangs of Sotek): Kroak and Slann Starmaster with Saurus and Bastiladon Support.
• 19th - Miles Benjamin - Sons of Behemat (King Brodd's Stomp) - Brodd, Gatebreaker and Kraken-Eater.
• 20th - Gavin Grigar - Blades of Khorne (Goretide) - Khorne Herohammer and unit soup.

Wrap Up

Thanks for coming back to the Mortal Realms for Competitive Innovations, see you again next week as the end of the year creeps ever closer.

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