The Generals Hub: Oscar Bachatero, Winner of the IV GT Huertano
Hey, Generals!
Another GT winner joins our War Reporters at The Generals Hub!
Today, we’re joined by Óscar Bachatero, a player from the legendary Alicante-based team PAPUA UAT, who claimed victory at the IV GT Huertano, held in Murcia, while making waves with his Idoneth Deepkin.
Oscar Bachatero
Hey! I’m Óscar, also known as “Bachatero”, a nickname that comes from my old hobbies. I’ve been playing Age of Sigmar since the end of second edition, so I’m a veteran of the game.
As a player, I’ve always enjoyed fast armies with lots of mobility, low saves, and strong recursion mechanics. I started my journey with the old Beasts of Chaos, playing them until their eventual discontinuation.
By that point, I was already experimenting with Skaven, Idoneth Deepkin, Fyreslayers, Kharadron Overlords, and Disciples of Tzeentch, although I’d also tried my hand at armies like Soulblight Gravelords, Ironjawz, Slaves to Darkness, Seraphon, Kruleboyz, and Gloomspite Gitz.
After all that army-hopping, I eventually realized that Skaven, Idoneth Deepkin, and Kharadron Overlords suited my playstyle best, as they offered plenty of mobility, lots of tricks, and a more interesting way of playing the game.
The List
Maethela y amics 1990/2000 pts
Idoneth Deepkin
Akhelian Beastmasters (20 Points)
General's Handbook 2026-27
Drops: 2
Spell Lore - Lore of the Deeps
Manifestation Lore - Primal Energy (10 Points)
Battle Tactic Cards: Blazing Onslaught, Burning for Vengeance
General's Regiment
Mathaela, Oracle of the Abyss (150)
• General
Akhelian Ishlaen Guard (360)
• Reinforced
• Ironshell Barnacles - (20) Points
Akhelian Leviadon (450)
Akhelian Morrsarr Guard (320)
• Reinforced
Isharann Tidecaster (100)
Regiment 1
Ikon of the Storm (130)
• Lifekelp Pod
• Abyssal Dweller
Akhelian Allopex (160)
• 1x Razorshell Harpoon
Namarti Thralls (90)
Scourge of Aqshy: Namarti Reavers (200)
• Reinforced
Faction Terrain
Gloomtide Shipwreck
Created with Warhammer Age of Sigmar: The App
App: 1.38.1 | Data: 483Idoneth Deepkin: When the Captain Speaks, the Crew Obeys
Following the balance changes to Idoneth Deepkin, which introduced a new Battle Trait and some interesting artefacts, I took another look at an Idoneth list published on The Generals Hub. I liked the idea of running Mathaela and the Ikon of the Storm, alongside more Akhelian and Namarti bodies, so I adapted the concept to suit my playstyle and a meta where I expected to face a lot of shooting.
The original list consisted of 12 defensive eels, a turtle, a Soulcryer, a shark, 20 Reavers of Aqshy, and 10 Namarti, along with the Incarnate manifestation.
Although the original list was extremely well put together, I decided to make a few changes.
I replaced one reinforced unit of defensive eels with a unit of offensive eels. Although they have fewer attacks, they retain the same mobility and provide additional damage in the charge phase, as well as some mortal damage to help break through heavily armoured units.
I also swapped the Soulcryer, which has a much more offensive role, for the Tidecaster, which gives me incredible defensive capabilities and much better control over the pace of the game against extremely tough lists such as Hashut, Cities of Sigmar, and Kharadron Overlords.
Additionally, in matchups where my opponent doesn’t have any significant long-range shooting, she allows me to gain +1 to run and charge rolls. Considering that the eels have a 14″ Move characteristic, this practically guarantees that I can charge wherever I need to.
Another change was dropping the Incarnate manifestation, which has a casting value of 8. Although it’s very strong, I wasn’t entirely convinced by it without the Eidolon of the Sea, since I only have two spells available and no modifiers to help me cast it reliably.
I found the healing and mortal damage on the charge much more useful. These were the two spells I used most throughout the tournament, alongside the teleport spell. They also all have relatively low casting values.
The List’s Game Plan
The list is fairly straightforward at its core: build a mobile castle that gradually sweeps through one of the opponent’s weaker flanks, then prepare to absorb the counterattack with the tides and debuffs in place, backed up by some very powerful counter-shooting.
The idea is to take advantage of the army’s incredible mobility to strike wherever I want when it’s time to counterattack.
Depending on the matchup, I preferred to focus first on the units that allowed my opponent to score objectives and complete battle tactics, or on key threats that couldn’t be brought back onto the battlefield once destroyed.
IV GT de Huertano
The Murcia GT was fantastic. With two breakfasts provided and Miguel’s constant support as the tournament referee, I felt really comfortable throughout the entire event.
We also enjoyed a great atmosphere alongside my PAPUA UAT teammates: José Carlos, Adonis, and Mario, as well as some former Huerta de Batalla teammates, including Víctor, David Verdú, and Antonio.
All in all, a very welcoming GT, with an amazing atmosphere and spectacular terrain.
Round 1 vs Manuel Morte
Soulblight Gravelords Bacchanal of Blood – 72/48
I started the GT facing Soulblight Gravelords on the battleplan with unstable objectives.
Going into this first round, I had only played two games with Idoneth Deepkin under the new General’s Handbook, so I struggled a bit with the matchup at first.
My game plan was to focus on eliminating all the units my opponent couldn’t bring back onto the battlefield.
With that in mind, my main targets were the Zombie Dragon of Aqshy, the Vengorian Lord, the Askurgan Trueblades, and the Vargheists.
The Vengorian Lord kept me tied up in combat for the first two rounds, but I eventually managed to take him down thanks to the turtle’s bites and attacks boosted by Rage Dice.
Once those threats were eliminated, I was able to spread out across the battlefield and focus on maximizing my score, without too much trouble, while ignoring Mannfred and the Grave Guard.
In the end, my only losses were the Thralls and a few defensive eels.
Round 2 vs Antonio Arañas
Gloomspite Gitz Gloomspite Horde – 65/59
In my second game, I faced a very resilient Gloomspite Gitz list on the battleplan where you have to activate either the red or yellow objectives to gain priority.
Although the goblin list might seem manageable at first, it was very good at denying battle tactics and could deal considerable damage thanks to the Fanatics.
My game plan was to set up my castle in the center of the battlefield, activate the ritual that prevents shooting from more than 12″ away to protect myself from his Shootas’ annoying 18″ ranged attacks, and use the Ikon’s artefact on the central objective.
This forced my opponent to take the initiative and come to me, rather than making me push into his territory and rely on winning a double turn.
I positioned 20 Namarti Reavers on one of the flanks, forcing my opponent to deal with them while they harassed his Loonboss on Mangler Squigs.
From that point on, the game turned into a war of attrition. I focused on scoring points while using my shooting to eliminate the Spore Splattas, Fanatics, Sneaky Snufflers, and other support units that were buffing his two large blocks of 40 goblins.
By removing these support units, I gradually made his two infantry blocks less threatening and much easier to handle.
Throughout this game, I also made extensive use of Idoneth’s anti-horde ability, which I consider one of the best in the game.
Round 3 vs José Carlos Lledó
Kharadron Overlords Veteran Ground Troops – 62/41
In my third game, I faced Alicante’s most trigger-happy twin, José Carlos, one of my teammates, on the battleplan where objectives are removed if you’re the underdog.
I knew he would play very aggressively, as his list revolves around shooting and fishing for the double turn.
I set up my deployment to give my eels as many defensive buffs as possible, while keeping my heroes obscured to protect them from his shooting.
I managed to withstand the initial onslaught, and from there, the Ikon of the Storm allowed me to reposition and take down his Frigate and Brokk, thanks to Mathaela’s spell and the mortal damage dealt by my offensive eels on the charge.
His infantry, despite having very good saves, eventually fell to the sheer volume of attacks from my eels.
In the second round, winning the double turn allowed me to deliver the decisive blow. Thanks to the teleport tide and the spell, I managed to position my turtle to engage the Ironclad in combat and eventually destroy it.
With that, the game was practically decided, and I could focus on completing my remaining battle tactics.
Round 4 vs David Verdú
Soulblight Gravelords Bacchanal of Blood – 67/44
In my fourth game, I faced David Verdú on a battleplan featuring a central objective and Emberstone Nuggets.
I decided to let him go first so I wouldn’t need to activate the tide, as I had already used the Ikon of the Storm’s artefact on the central objective to prevent him from taking advantage of Vhordrai’s high mobility and moving through that area too easily.
My game plan was to focus on his weaker flank, where I managed to secure Emberstone Nuggets with two of my units during the first round and destroy his first cavalry unit.
After that, David gave me the double turn because he wanted to set up a double turn of his own in the following round. I simply took advantage of the opportunity to position my units so that Vhordrai could only charge the targets I wanted him to, while his Vengorian Lord was forced to engage my turtle in combat.
During his turn, thanks to counter-shooting and combat, I managed to severely weaken his two main hammer units.
From that point on, with the normal alternation of turns, I was able to spread out across the battlefield, start completing battle tactics, and effectively seal the game.
The incredible mobility of my units, combined with the Emberstone Nuggets, allowed me to control objectives and keep scoring points until I secured the victory.
Round 5 vs Abraham Martinez
Cities of Sigmar Zealous Hordes – 57/40
In my fifth game, I faced Abraham, who was running an extremely tough Cities of Sigmar list, on the battleplan with the fires.
My game plan was to play defensively during the first few turns, using the Tidecaster to minimize his shooting damage and keep it within manageable levels.
Despite my opponent getting the double turn, I managed to take down the Confort and a unit of 10 Cavaliers, leaving him without the tools he needed to keep scoring effectively.
From that point on, I was able to spread out across the battlefield without too much trouble, taking advantage of my army’s mobility to complete battle tactics, control objectives, and keep scoring points until I secured the victory.
What Tips Would You Give to Idoneth Players?
Idoneth Deepkin is a fantastic army for controlling the tempo of the game, capable of playing aggressively when the situation calls for it and adopting a much more defensive approach when necessary.
Despite what it might seem, the eels don’t deal an excessive amount of damage, but the sheer number of debuffs and tricks available to them gives them incredible defensive capabilities against warscrolls with more straightforward profiles.
Between reducing enemy attacks with the defensive eels, lowering Rend by 1, gaining a 5+ Ward, or getting +1 to save rolls, you can stack a huge number of defensive abilities on the same units.
This makes the eels the perfect anvil to absorb damage, punish your opponent during their own turn, and set up a powerful counterattack on your next turn.
Some Interesting Combos
- Reavers and Tidecaster: Deploy the Namarti Reavers away from your castle to harass your opponent, then move the Tidecaster closer so you can bring them back to your castle with a counter-spell during your opponent’s turn, without suffering any penalties.
- Defensive eels and turtle: Position your defensive eels 2.9″ away from the turtle so that enemy units also take damage from it. With the subfaction’s +1 to hit, the turtle becomes a very reliable damage dealer, especially when combined with Mathaela’s additional attack.
- Mathaela’s spell: Use it at the right moments to maximize its impact on the matchup.
- Healing at different points: Combine the artefact that heals cavalry with the fly spell to recover wounds at different points during the movement phase.
- Power Through with defensive eels: Use it after charging an enemy unit to pin it down, then return to your castle, even if you haven’t managed to destroy the target.
- Making the most of Thralls: Don’t use them solely as screens. They can also serve as support units, chipping away at enemy units if they survive into the second round.
- Controlling the central objective: When there’s an objective in the center of the battlefield, take advantage of abilities that prevent charging, running, or retreating to restrict your opponent’s movement and dictate where you want to absorb damage.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the key to playing Idoneth Deepkin is taking advantage of their incredible mobility to wear down your opponent at critical points on the battlefield, controlling when and where engagements take place and, once their main threats have been weakened, focusing on maximizing your score.
It’s not simply about hitting harder than your opponent, but about controlling the tempo of the game and knowing when to attack and when it’s better to defend.
Want more Age of Sigmar content?
Stats and Meta: Good Games Club
Follow us: The Generals Hub on Instagram
What would you like to see in future articles or videos? Share your ideas in the comments!
Descubre más desde The Generals Hub
Suscríbete y recibe las últimas entradas en tu correo electrónico.
Tags: idoneth deepkin
The Generals Hub
Aquí encontrarás las últimas noticias de Age of Sigmar, mucho hobby, análisis del metajuego, estrategia y contenido para disfrutar al máximo del universo de los Ocho Reinos.
Leave a Reply