Starting a Slow Grow League - Taking up Gremlins with Som'er

[VigotheButch]

Its going to be a 6 week league. First two weeks are box only. Second two weeks will be 35pts that you can build with. Last two weeks will be full 50pts games. I'm relatively new to this game and just started about a month ago with Resurrectionists - Seamus. I thought it'd be fun to swap over to Gremlins for this league as I was torn between them and Reserrs when starting. 

 

I hear Som'er's box is probably the best as far as models you can use out of the box. Although, the first two weeks of the league dictate you cannot summon outside of your box which I believe would mean I couldn't summon more Bayous until the ones I started the game with die off. 

 

With that info, I was just looking for some tips and advice on how I can start playing Som'er with these restrictions and how to grow his crew and play him competently. A friend turned me on to Alex Schmid's new youtube channel that has amazing info in it but obviously not enough. Anyone have any good links I should check out? Any pointers? Thanks all!

[Math Mathonwy]

Somer's box, though great, is really bad for "box only"-type of games since the SS count is super low. What does "box only" mean in your case? That you simply play all the models in a starter ignoring SS costs? That you play for a set cost and if the box can't make it, then tough luck? Or that you play according to the limit of the "smaller" starter? Or something else?

I any case, expanding a Summoning Somer is pretty simple: Slop Haulers, more Bayou Gremlins, and then some of the Gremlin staples like Merris, Burt, Sammy, or Roosters. Piglets are also a very good buy since both Somer and Lenny can summon them. Pigapult is also something that can be recommended though learning the Gremlins without it and then adding it in is IMO a better way of going about things than getting the pult straight away.

[PositronMike]

If starting with Som'er I would not bother thinking about summoning when playing your box only games as you are missing some key models to get summoning to work (more bayou gremlins and either slop haulers or lightning bugs). I would look at doing a gunline type list for your fbox only games key Som'er and lenny close together with a couple of bayou gemlins. Use your other two gremlins to run schemes if required and use the skeeters to tie up enemy models. For this type of list I would recommend taking dirty cheater, encouragement and can o' beams on Som'er.

In terms of expanding a Som'er box set I would strongly recommend getting a box of piglets and/or and hog whisperer box (hog whisperer comes with 1 piglet). Piglets are really good with Som'er as both he and Lenny can summon them. They also add a lot of movement tricks to the crew and can tie up models in combat due to their defense 6. From there it is then up to you how you want to expand whether you want to go down the summoning route (more bayous and slop haulers) or the hard hitting route (Ophelias box set and Burt). I do like the pigapult with the Summoning list and Sammy works really well with the hard hitting route as you can put Encouragement on her to let Som'er benefit from it as well as your other models.

[VigotheButch]

The rules being you have to use your box up to 35 SS. Some people in our group have noticed they can only get up to 27 SS, with 7 SS pool effectively losing a SS. Seeing as how the first two weeks are mess around and learn your new models with a focus on getting models painted up. Week 3 you can start building with things found outside of your core box (upgrades, units, summons, extra units that are found in your box but you need more - looking at you bayou grems). I imagine I won't be winning much in the first two weeks. 3rd week should get more interesting however. I have some slop haulers, more Bayou grems, piglets, pigapult, Sammy, Ophelia's box...I have stuff to work with just don't know where or how to begin as I've never played Gremlins before nor played against them. Actually, I've never even seen them played TBH. I just hear the tales and read battle reports and can't wait to try them out. So with my very little knowledge and these very restrictive rules, any advice on how to begin these first two weeks? PositronMike's idea of a firing line seems like pretty much all I could do...

 

If you guys know of any good videos, battle reports, pod casts, heck even forum posts you could point me to I'd appreciate it. 

[Dogmantra]

I hope no one's planning on starting with Kirai in this league! Poor them, only having 11 stones on the table at the start of the game :c

 

Anyway, yeah if you're restricted to just the box you basically want to just go for shooting. You'll probably have a somewhat easy time running schemes, but not as easy as say Lilith or Tara. You mention waiting until week 3 for upgrades? That does put a damper on things a bit. If you can weasel your way into getting upgrades, you could do a pretty solid gunline. Give Som'er Encouragement, Quality Mash Liquor (note: as soon as you can get a slop hauler then I'd do that instead of this upgrade) and Can O' Beans, put him & some Bayou Gremlins near Lenny (maybe with I'll Love and Pet It). The Skeeters fly up to engage enemies, fart via Can O' Beans & use Warn the Kin so you won't have to randomise for them when you shoot into that engagement. The Bayou Gremlins & Lenny shoot whatever needs shooting, taking wounds for s from Encouragement. Som'er's job is to heal them back up with QML and hand out a suit (I'd choose Tomes so you always have the option of not breaking your gunline by pushing on a mask or taking damage from crows or rams) and maybe occasionally shoot in himself.

 

Without upgrades, I'd probably play a much more selfish Som'er. The BGs would be more distraction pieces who just take potshots really, your Skeeters would tie up important models and just use defensive stance to become really difficult to remove (not much point attacking with them to try for damage - a 0/1/2 damage track is garbage). If you tie up someone like Colette who loves their triggers, you can have them use Som'er's Quit Screwin Round! action to just shut those triggers down with no resist. Then Som'er would be your main threat, keep him near Lenny for free s and just go to town with your gun. He has enough wounds and a good enough defense that he can afford to use Thinkin' Luck quite liberally for 4 minimum damage. His melee is pretty great too, the only downside being the 1 minimum damage (and it is a pretty big downside), but if you focus then charge, you can probably get off moderate or severe on at least the attack you focused with. I'd try to keep at a range unless you're being outgunned, and then move to melee Som'er. If you plan on doing super melee heavy Som'er, you'll probably want to try to drain your opponent's hand first with Bigger Hat so that you can rely on Bayou Two Card to hopefully get straight damage flips and avoid the dreaded 1 minimum damage.

 

For where to go next, Math has got you covered. Agree with everything there, AS USUAL.