Blazing Assault - Deck Review

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NEW VERSION

Blazing Assault is a straight-to-the-point, no-nonsense Strike Rivals deck built for aggressive play. If you're looking to fight your way to victory with sheer determination and sharp blades, in a manner that will make Khorne turn his gaze upon you, this is the deck for you.

In this breakdown, I’ll run through how the deck plays, the general theme of its objectives, and a few key cards that stand out. Along the way I will add some of my thoughts on its strengths, weaknesses, and how best to pilot it.



Objectives - Blood for the Blood God!

The deck includes 12 objectives: 6 surges and 6 end-phase cards, totalling 16 potential glory. Of these, 11 are worth just 1 glory each, with Annihilation offering a chunky 5 glory if you manage to take out the entire enemy warband.

This low-glory ceiling may sound underwhelming at first, but it fits the Strike archetype perfectly—rewarding consistent, forward momentum rather than big flashy plays. If you’re hitting hard and securing bounty glory from kills, you’ll see those points stack up over time. 

A few objective highlights:

  • Keep Choppin’ – Score this if your warband makes three or more Attack actions in a round. Bread-and-butter for this deck.

  • Branching Fate / Critical Effort – These reward attack rolls that include multiple different results or a crit. Great if you’re throwing lots of dice or running cards like Keen Eye or Accurate  

  • Strike the Head – Take down the enemy leader or someone with equal/more health than your own. Good incentive to target priority threats.

  • Get Stuck In – Focuses on battlefield presence, taking the fight into enemy territory  

  • Kill them all - Of course, the ultimate aim of a Strike deck is to eliminate your opponent, and Annihilation pays out a big dividend if you achieve this. It is rarely scored, but in the right match-up, it can turn a tight game into a runaway win, which can be especially important in a Best-of-One tournament.


Ploys – Pressure and Position

The ploys in Blazing Assault are all about applying pressure and maintaining tempo. You’ll find tools to boost attack rolls, increase damage, or reposition your key pieces. It’s a solid set that supports aggressive play without too many frills.

Some standout cards:

  • Determined Effort – +1 dice to an attack (or +2 if you're the underdog). Superb value at any stage of the game.

  • Twist the Knife – Grants Grievous to a melee attack. More damage means more dead enemies, simple as that.

  • Sidestep – Still one of the most versatile pushes in the game. Use it to engage, retreat, or sneak onto objectives.

  • Commanding Stride – Push your leader up to 3 hexes, as long as they end in a starting hex. Great for re-positioning at crucial moments.



Used well, these cards keep you mobile and help convert key attacks into big momentum swings.



Upgrades – Accuracy and Utility

The upgrades here are all geared towards sharpening your attacks and making sure they land when it matters most. There’s also a bit of extra mobility and a couple of weapon-enhancing abilities to push through more reliable damage.

Key upgrades include:

  • Keen Eye – +1 attack dice for melee weapons. Combines nicely with surge cards that need attack roll variety. Also, more dice is the single best way to improve the probability of a successful attack.

  • Accurate – Reroll one die in an attack roll. Simple, effective, and great when you're relying on that key hit. Nearly as good as extra dice, but does not necessarily overwhelm opponents in the same way, but still very useful.

  • Duellist – After attacking, this fighter can be pushed 1 hex. Gives you a cheeky way to reposition or dodge out of retaliation. This can be especially useful to push up to follow up onto a Treasure token.

  • Deadly Aim / Sharpened Points – Grant Ensnare or Cleave. These are stronger than ever in the current season, helping you push through tough defenses, and achieve those much-needed successful attacks.

  • Great Strength - Grants Grevious to melee attacks. Why take two attacks when one will do the trick!



Taken together, these upgrades ensure your fighters can stay dangerous, even as the game drags into later rounds.


Weaknesses – What to Watch For

While the deck has plenty going for it, there are a few pitfalls that could catch you out if you’re not careful:

  • Low Glory Ceiling – Aside from Annihilation, you’re mostly scoring 1-glory cards. You’ll need to stay aggressive to keep the scoreboard ticking over. Do remember the low glory ceiling of your deck will be added to by the Bounty of fallen enemy fighters.

  • Dice Dependency – Several objectives and cards rely on specific roll results. When your dice go cold, things can fall apart quickly. Underworlds is a dice game, and the dice gods can be cruel - 4+ Hammer is definitely going to miss!

  • Limited Defence – There’s not much here for healing or tanking hits. If you start losing fighters early, the deck can quickly run out of steam. 

  • Predictable Playstyle – A savvy opponent may see your game plan coming and position accordingly. 


Strategy Tips – Lead the Charge

To get the most out of Blazing Assault, you'll want to:

  • Stay Aggressive – Keep the pressure on, hit early and often. Use your ploys and upgrades to keep your edge.

  • Target Priority Fighters – Knock out key enemy pieces to disrupt their strategy and maximise bounty glory.

  • Spend Glory Wisely – Early upgrades can swing games. Choose ones that boost your attack accuracy or enable better positioning.

  • Adapt to Your Opponent – If you’re up against a cagey control deck, don’t be afraid to pivot and go after objective play where possible.



Nemesis Pairings - Blazing Assault

Blazing Assault is an aggressive, Surge-friendly deck that works brilliantly as the primary deck in a Nemesis pairing. Its straightforward playstyle, solid pool of ploys and upgrades, and low-risk objectives make it ideal for warbands that want to take the fight to the enemy.

Here are a few pairing ideas that complement its strengths and open up some interesting strategic options:


Reckless Assault – Strike Twice, Fall Once

Pairing Blazing Assault with Reckless Fury creates an all-in Strike package. This combination doubles down on aggression, offering even more ways to score for attacking, charging, and removing enemy fighters.

Key synergy: Both decks benefits from repeated attack actions and high aggression. You’ll find several two-glory end phase cards that reward aggressive plays, making this an excellent pairing for fast, hard-hitting warbands.

Watch out: This pairing has very little defensive tech — you’ll live and die by your dice rolls. When the glory flows, it’s glorious. When it doesn’t… it's over fast.


Blazing Cataclysm – Controlled Chaos

A more nuanced pairing, this combines Blazing Assault with Countdown to Cataclysm, a deck focused on the Mastery playstyles. You keep the core aggression of Blazing Assault, but add tools for card draw, power card usage, and broader strategic play.

Key synergy: You can pivot between aggression and board control. Again, you'll find several useful two-glory end phase cards, namely Spread Havoc and Wreckers, to boost your glory count but do not expect much from the Ploys and Upgrades.

Watch out: While more versatile, this pairing takes practice. It’s less “run forward and smash” and more “move, strike, adapt.”


Final Thoughts

Blazing Assault is a lean, focused deck built for players who like to get stuck in and stay there. It rewards decisive, front-foot play and punishes hesitation. While it won’t score you huge glory in a single phase, it offers consistent tools for building pressure and taking control of the game.

If you’re into a straightforward, no-frills style of play, or you are looking to teach newer players how to play, this deck delivers.

Checkout my Warhammer Underworlds for more articles.

Thank you for reading. Are you intending to use this deck? If so, with which warband?





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