Following my reasonable success with the One Drop Ironjawz list at Warfare, Ascot I am back on the tournament scene this weekend and heading to Leicester. Leicester GT is using the Win/Draw/Loss scoring system as the primary scoring (with 20-0 as the tie breaker). This meant that winning by smaller values will still see us playing against other winners.

Because of this I have decided to bring a very different Ironjawz force with 10 drops, and no Gore Gruntas… which fits my playstyle (wait, wait, counter punch) much better than the hyper agressive 1 drop list I took to Warfare.

I had to send this list in before seeing how the Reading list did, and I may have swapped in a few Gore Gruntas before the inevitable points increase, but I am happy overall with the following list:

Allegiance: Ironjawz
– Warclan: Ironsunz
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Megaboss on Maw-Krusha (480)*
– Boss Choppa and Rip-tooth fist
– Artefact: Amulet of Destiny (Universal Artefact)
– Mount Trait: Smelly ‘Un
Orruk Megaboss (140)***
– General
– Command Trait: Touched by the Waaagh!
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of the Weird: Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
– Warbeat: Fixin’ Beat
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
– Warbeat: Get ‘Em Beat

Battleline
10 x Orruk Brutes (320)**
– Jagged Gore-hackas
– 2x Gore Choppas
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Orruk Brutes (320)**
– Jagged Gore-hackas
– 2x Gore Choppas
– Reinforced x 1
15 x Orruk Ardboys (255)**
– 3x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers
– Reinforced x 2
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)***
– 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)***
– 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers

Units
3 x Rippa’s Snarlfangs (70)*

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Hunters of the Heartlands
***Vanguard

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1985 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 150
Drops: 10

As a 10 drop I’ll likely not often get the choice of first or second, and so need something to grab early objective or put some threat on the opponent. The Maw Krusha is the threat with 24″ + charge threat range on turn 1, and Rippa’s are the speed to grab a middle objective. Other that the main aim is to advance as quickly as possible and hit the enemy turn 2 or 3… I will be honest about a concern against shooting armies, but I can always use Foot of Gork or the Maw Krusha for an alpha strike if I need it!

Character 1 – Megaboss on Maw-Krusha

The Megaboss on Maw-Krusha is a great unit, and a fun warscroll and is currently an auto-include in every Ironjawz list I have seen to date. His equipment is easy – a Rip Tooth for a 3+ armour save is this only real option.

I then make his mount a ‘Smelly ‘Un’ which is my go-to option at the moment, as it makes opponents -1 to hit in combat if you don’t charge. Perfect if you plan to alpha strike and then survive an opponent’s turn.

He also has the essential Amulet of Destiny, so he has a chance of reaching turn 2. As a combat unit his only chance is to get into range of the enemy and take some damage – unlike similarly priced shooting units – so his task is to either be a powerful counterpunch unit with the Ironsunz ability to charge in my opponent’s charge phase. The 1″ reach has been a problem, but that just needs to be worked around!

Character 2 – Megaboss on Foot

This will be the first time I have run my General as a foot Megaboss which will allow my opponent to Bring it Down (Maw Krusha) and Slay the Warlord (Megaboss) so I will need to be careful with him.

His main reason for being here is as a more defensive Orruk Shaman, with Arcane Tome, Hand of Gork and Touched by the Waagh! This command ability requires him to cause D3 mortal wounds before casting a spell and add this to the spell casting. Turning a 55/45 into a 60/40 or even better, and also making it more difficult to dispel.

Hand of Gork was the mobility I really missed at Warfare, so I’m really glad to have it back. He may have to hide near the back though until any shooting threats are removed, but I do have the option of using Hand Gork on him, charging and then casting Arcane Bolt in the next phase (D3 wounds from the command ability, D3 wounds from the Bolt). Could catch out a few players!

Characters 3 & 4 – Warchanters

The Warchanters are just superb with Violent Fury providing +1 damage and two of them allow to buff the Maw Krusha and one other unit. I give them Fixin’ Beat (healing) and Get ‘Em Beat (3D6″ charge) to give me an option of going second, healing damage done to the Maw Krusha and striking back.

No self respecting Orruk Ironjawz general wouldn’t go to war with at least 2 of these – and I’ve seen people take 3 with success. They are also not bad themselves with 6 attacks, 3+/3+/-/D3 – especially against things with low armour saves

Units 1 & 2 – 10 Brutes, 10 Brutes

20 Brutes, 3 wounds at 4+ save and Jagged Gore-Hackas. These guys can push out some serious damage, can stop 1 wound models counting on objectives (looking at Pink Horrors here!) and can be used as a screen if that is what’s needed. Plus they are great models, and who doesn’t love great models. They are definitely signifcantly better with the Warchanter buff (+1 damage) on them but I also love their movement shenanigans with redeploy and counter charge. They can suddenly be on an objective that your opponent thinks is safe.

They are also both in the War in the Heartlands battalion to stop monsters using their monstrous rampage abilities – this is great to guarantee that they can have the +1 to save (they rarely need the +1 to hit because they get this naturally against 4 wound models).

If you’re unsure how Brutes work, you’re also in luck, for there’s an article on this very blog on it. Just here.

Units 3,4 & 5 – 15 Ardboys, 5 Ardboys, 5 Ardboys

One of the things I really missed at Warfare with the 1 drop was having units to hold rear objectives, or throw forward as screens. Fortunately, I can bring them back now and use them to slow down fellow Ironjawz players or to stop teleporting units from getting my objectives. The unit of 15 will either be a last punch unit, or a forward screen with Hand of Gork. They will also be used as fodder for the General’s Touched by Waaagh! command ability. I am hoping I may be able to get off some cheeky rallies with this unit (on a 4+ if done with their leader and a Warchanter nearby), but I’ve not used it in 15 games, so it may just be a pipedream.

Unit 6 – Rippa Snarlfangs

I got them back in the army… thank Mork (or possibly Gork) for their reappearance. I’ve written about these guys a lot, so if you’ve read my previous blogs you’ll already know about them. If you need a catch-up it can be found here.

Ironsunz, Grand Strategy & Triumph

These are unchanged from Warfare. Alright, Get ‘Em allows me to charge units in my opponents charge phase either forcing them to charge me, or be counter charged. It’s great for keeping the Maw Krusha in combat. Grand Strategy is Hold the Line so my opponent needs to kill (and catch) all the Brutes and Ardboyz and Triumph is inspired (+1 to wound)

My Grand Strategy was equally easy to chose – Hold the Line – and the reason why I have taken 10 Ardboyz at my final unit.

What would you run in a Win/Loss/Draw system with Ironjawz; can’t get enough Gore-Gruntas or just want to run 3 MawKrushas – let us know below!

— Declan