I just had to post this battle... most times when I'm in a battle where I have (luckily?) selected a better team than my opponent, then I often beat my opponent in Round 2 or 3. They will have some cards hanging on in Round 1 - maybe ones with high shields or Sheild ability, or ones that have started with a lot of health or have the Heal ability.
But in this 23 Mana battle I managed to defeat my opponent in just ONE ROUND !!! And not even all their cards were able to have an attack turn!
Battle Rules
23 Mana
Super Sneak
Splinters : Fire, Water Life and Dragon
My Selection
Summoner : Yodin Zaku (my personal favourite summoner!)
Position 1 : Living Lava (my normal "position 1" card due to Shield ability, and 3 melee attack)
Due to the Super Sneak rules, I wanted to have a variety of low mana cards to maximise damage with my summoners Blast ability
Position 2 : Flame Monkey (melee in position 2 in case Living Lava dies)
Position 3 : Goblin Fireballer (a fall back sacrifice should position 1 and 2 die)
Position 4 : Ant Miners (in the middle to Scavenge health from dead monsters)
Position 5 : Imp Bowman (protected in this position)
Position 6 : Kobold Miner (to protect the rear)
Opponents Selection
Summoner : Alric Stormbringer
Position 1 : Sea Monster (melee attack 4, and heal)
Position 2 : Sea Genie (magic attack, +1 magic with their summoner)
Position 3 : Water Elemental (ranged attack 2, and heal)
The Battle
My opponent draws first blood with their Water Elemental (Speed 4), but they only take 1 damage from my Living Lava.
I then return fire with all my squad from positions 2 to 6 (Speed 3 and 2). First the Imp Bowman takes 2 Damage from the Sea Monster and 1 Blast for the Sea Genie. The Goblin Fireballer then duplicates the Imp Bowman's attack.
My Flame Monkey then joins in with Super Sneak and attacks the Water Elemental for 1 Damage and 1 Blast for the Sea Genie. This is enough for the Sea Genie, who is now defeated and dies.
My Ant Miner Scavenges the health from the Sea Genie and then attached the Water Elemental for 1 Damage plus 1 Blast for the Sea Monster.
My Kobold Miner misses his target, but not to worry it is now the turn of the Speed 1 cards. Only the Sea Monster and my Living Lava left to battle. Living Lava goes first, and hits doing 3 damage to the Sea Monsterl which kills it. The secondary blast of 2 Damage hits the Water Elemental, who also now drops to zero health and dies.
GAME OVER !!! And their Sea Monster didn't even have an attack turn.
https://splinterlands.com?p=battle&id=sl_9db59b96086d802995748005e56f6ac4&ref=sbenbow-splinter