Gloomspite Squig Hoppers are some of the craziest of goblins around, and that’s saying something for greenskins!
While watching the Squig Hoppers jump around may seem fun, it is basically the most dangerous thing you can do! The truth is, when you’re fighting against the wild armies in the Realms of Sigmar and you’re a lowly goblin, you need to take whatever advantages you can get. Hopping around on a squig is the perfect example of that. Get out your biggest Squig friend and let’s learn about some lore!
In the World:
The Gloomspite Gitz can’t really be seen as a unified faction, rather as a coalition. Multiple clans of different kinds band together in worship of the Bad Moon. One of these groups is the Moonclans. These often cloaked Grots are masters of two things, poison and Squigs. These Squigs are almost always sent into battle with reckless abandon, serving as mere cannon fodder and entertainment for the Grots. However, some particularly crazy Grots manage to mount some of the Squigs, charging into battle alongside them as some form of eccentric cavalry. They’re not a cohesive bunch as both rider and mount flail about trying to get as many kills as they can before death.
Humble Cave Squigs are of course not keen on being mounted and driven into battle by the Grots. Thus only the most crazed, skilled or downright lucky aspiring Grot Squig Rider is able to actually get atop of a Squig. Many that try to end up being devoured as a snack. Once these Squigs have been properly subdued they are fed a special and probably unhealthy concoction. Consisting of Puffgut-balls and Hopsplatter Fungus which bloats them up with all kinds of gasses. This allows the Squigs to jump higher than ever before but makes their mood drop even more because of the experience.
When these bloated Squigs and their riders go to war they are dubbed Squig Hoppers. This is mostly due to the chaotic behaviour the Squig Hoppers display in combat. Crazed, erratic Grots and ill-tempered, bloated Squigs are not a good combination.
But this makes them effective too, no foe can understand their behaviour and will often be surprised by them. When a band of Squig Hoppers finally make it to the enemy lines they’ll charge in without a second thought. Whilst their mounts jump about and gnaw at anything in front of them the cackling Grot Riders will hack and slash away on all sides, hoping to draw some blood.
On the Tabletop:
On the Tabletop of the Mortal Realms, Squig Hoppers are a cheap and fast cavalry unit for the Gloomspite Gitz. They can also be taken as a battleline unit should your general ride a Giant Cave Squig or Mangler Squig. Their strengths lie in their costs and movement.
At only 90 points per 5 models, you can quickly bring in a large horde of these crazed Grots. Their movement is as erratic as you might think. Instead of a flat movement speed, you roll 3D6, whatever the result is your movement. Thus they are able to either hop a small distance or leap right into the thick of combat.
Squig Hoppers are technically equipped with two weapons, Slittas and Fang-filled Gobs. Slittas are the blades carried by the riders to hack and slash their targets.
However, with their high 5+ to hit and wound rolls, it is going to be hard actually damaging a foe with them. The Squigs themselves however gnaw away with their Fang-filled Gobs which are a lot more effective. With a decent 4+ to hit, 3+ to wound, 2 attacks and -1 rend they are devastating to low armoured infantry their teeth come across.
An important note is that Squig Hoppers can fly, jumping over terrain like it is absolutely nothing. They are lead by a Squig Hopper Boss, a more experienced Grot eager to show it.
You can add 1 to the hit rolls for the Boss’ Slitta. Squig Hoppers are also able to dish out mortal wounds due to their ability Boing! Boing! Boing! After making a normal move you can roll dice for every model in a unit the Squig Hoppers jumped over. On a 4+ the Squig Hoppers simply bounced on top of their foe and deal a mortal wound.
Squig Hoppers are erratic and bouncy dealers of death
