I can second Brad's experience. I have played against an earlier version of the Empire City Gates-ShrineofTaal-Surprise Assault-Twin-Tailed Comet deck. It can be very deadly and reasonably fast. Actually watched Brad face off against it with his Chaos-skaven deck. Very entertaining. Just bad news for me that my local meta is full of sharks...
Anybody get an indirect damage deck to work? I build
If toughness is an issue, I can see banish and pilgrimage being a benefit. Just kick the high toughness character off the board, then proceed with bolts of death!
I have a Successful Indirect Damage Deck based primarily on High Elves, with Empire support.
The key synergy is based on battlefield developments built by City Gates, which trigger Surprise Assaults.
Before unleashing the Surprise Assaults, I use Flagellants, Warrior Priests and Peasant Milita buffed with Shrine to Taal.
The Shrine + City Gates is a real powerhouse.
By focussing my developments in the battlefield and using low cost, high HP troops. The Elves healing ability goes a long way.
Cards like Nuln Tinkerers are important, as the Kingdom development is limited, so mana efficiency is key.
The overall strategy of this deck is to use defensive tactics like Radiant Gaze to blunt the enemies assault early on, then later, when they come in screaming like the hellborne, use Gifts of Anarion to turn all their damage into your resources and macerate them with the Bolt Thrower. Once this has occurred, on your turn, fire off Surprise assault, forked with twin tale comet and mop up with the remaining troops pumped by Shrine to Taal.