“There can be no failure in this battle for the fate of the world.”
–Emperor Karl Franz, addressing his troops at the battle of Mount Eyrie

The 2013 Regional Championship tournament season for Warhammer: Invasion The Card Game is now underway, and the year’s first shots have already been fired in the ongoing battle for the Old World!

FFG’s Regional Championship tournaments are exciting events that draw top players and enthusiasts from far and wide to compete for exclusive prizes, including playmats, custom Capital cards, and a Championship trophy. Additionally, the winner of each Regional Championship earns free entry to the FFG World Championship Weekend , November 7th – 10th.

While these Regional Championships hold an obvious allure for experienced veterans of Warhammer: Invasion , they’re also great opportunities for newer players to join a larger community of gamers, to find new players, make new friends, and learn some new tricks and tactics.

Of course, it’s always nice to know what you might expect, so what should new players know about the metagame for this year’s Warhammer: Invasion Regional Championships? For a closer look at the year’s tournament scene, we interviewed the 2012 World Champion, Jeremy Zwirn.

Jeremy Zwirn in action during the 2012 World Championship Weekend

World Champion Jeremy Zwirn on the Warhammer: Invasion Metagame

FFG: What sort of strategies do you expect to see during the 2013 Warhammer: Invasion The Card Game Regional Championships, and which do you think will be most difficult to defeat?

JZ: “The much-lauded FAQ 2.0 has done an outstanding job of balancing the playing field. I believe every faction has a chance of winning, and the current metagame is the most balanced it has ever been. While I expect to see every faction well represented, I think two factions in particular will be more difficult to defeat: Orcs and Empire.

“Orc control is very difficult to play against because they have answers for everything: if you rely too heavily on units, they can destroy them all with Troll Vomit ( Core Set , 80), and if you rely too heavily on supports and developments, they can destroy them with Grimgor Ironhide ( Core Set , 63). The Unending Horde ( Rising Dawn , 6) provides resiliency to Orc units and reduces the collateral damage from Troll Vomit. Mork's Teef Ritual ( The Iron Rock , 51) and Rip Dere 'Eads Off ( Core Set , 75) can get massive units like Bloodthirster ( Core Set , 92) and Grimgor Ironhide into play cheaply and at action-speed. If the game slows down, the ultra-efficient Spider Riders ( The Skavenblight Threat , 8) and pesky Snotling Invasion ( Fragments of Power , 18) can slowly grind opponents to death. Orc control doesn't have a major weakness, but if your deck does, the Orcs can exploit it.

“The Empire has arguably gained the most from the latest FAQ, simply by losing the least. Cards like Imperial Zoo ( The Imperial Throne , 109) and Sons of Coin ( The Iron Rock , 52) rapidly build the Empire's economy while Rodrick's Raiders ( March of the Damned , 7) and Osterknacht Elite ( The Eclipse of Hope , 87) generate tempo by disrupting your opponents’ efforts to build economies of their own. Call for Reserves ( Legends , 21) lets the Empire play those units at the most opportune time and also allows them to reuse the powerful abilities that trigger when they enter play. Friedrich Hemmler ( Redemption of a Mage , 63) can dominate games with his mighty stats of five power and five hit points, and his Forced ability can decimate rush decks. Red Arrow Coach ( The Accursed Dead , 50) can taxi Hemmler to wherever his services are needed for a small fee of one resource. Finally, Church of Sigmar ( Core Set , 39) and Iron Discipline ( Tooth and Claw , 45) help protect the Empire’s units by making it difficult and costly for opponents to target them. The Empire is well-rounded and consistent which makes them challenging to defeat.”

FFG: How do you feel the metagame has changed since Worlds?

JZ: “The Eternal War cycle has altered the metagame with the introduction of many powerful cards. The new keyword Raider is especially powerful. Cards like Goblin Raiders ( Oaths of Vengeance , 31) and Ostland Greatswords ( Glory of Days Past , 65) have become staples because they generate free resources every time they survive an attack. The cycle of faction-specific support cards like Outlying Tower ( Oaths of Vengeance , 23) and Mob O' Hutz ( Battle for the Old World , 43) are fast becoming ubiquitous in tournament decks. Their ratio of one power for one resource is exceptional, and they also provide a loyalty symbol, unlike the once heavily-played Contested Village ( Core Set , 111). The Battle Packs from Eternal War have also introduced a cycle of aggressively costed legends that have become foundations for decks. Crone Hellebron ( Days of Blood , 1) has made deck-discarding a viable strategy and Wurrzag ( Battle for the Old World , 41) fits nicely into Orc control decks by letting you play tactics like Troll Vomit and Pillage ( Core Set , 78) for free every time he attacks. Wolf Gobbos ( The Ruinous Hordes , 94) gives Orcs another weapon for unit removal and pairs well with The Unending Horde. The Eternal War cycle, along with the new FAQ, has really changed the metagame and I'm looking forward to participating in the 2013 Regional Championships!”

Thanks, Jeremy!

Do Orcs and the Empire have the early edge heading into the 2013 Regional Championship tournament season? Despite the recent FAQ and the restrictions and errata it introduced to level the playing field, will players still find ways to run rampant with High Elf indirect damage? Can Chaos continue to make big shows at top events, eating away at its opponents’ lives and souls?

The Regional Championship tournament season runs through June, so you still have time to make your deck and join the fun! You can find a Regional Championship near you by consulting our lists of United States and international venues.

More information about the reigning Warhammer: Invasion The Card Game World Champion Jeremy Zwirn and the contents of his 2012 World Championship deck are available at his place of honor in FFG’s Hall of Heroes .