This weekend I am off to Sanctuary Gaming for Quest of Champions (Heat 2), hosted by the people of Warrior Lodge.

I was fortunate enough to play Baz & Thomas at the Dazmaul Wargaming event a few weekends ago, and a lot of the Age of Chumps club have booked tickets for this event, so it promises to be a fun event.

The lists are being submitted via BCP (Best Coast Pairings) app and have been released today… and there are 3 Big Waaagh lists! Hurrah!

One is mine, and repeated last for convenience, but it’s great to see two others – completely different – being run as well. The thing I like about Big Waaagh lists is the variety available – sure mine is Ironjawz mostly, but it’s great seeing what others have and now – for the first time since switching to them – there are others playing them at the same tournament as me.

Alex – Big Waaagh!

Allegiance: Big Waaagh!
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
– Warbeat: Fixin’ Beat
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
– Warbeat: Get ‘Em Beat
Breaka-Boss on Mirebrute Troggoth (180)*
– Artefact: Mork’s Eye Pebble
– Mount Trait: Fast ‘Un
Wurrgog Prophet (150)**
– Artefact: Glowin’ Tattooz
– Lore of the Savage Beast: Gorkamorka’s War Cry
Swampcalla Shaman with Pot-grot (105)**
– Lore of the Swamp: Nasty Hex
Orruk Megaboss (140)**
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of the Weird – Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork
– Lore of the Weird: Bash ‘Em Ladz

Battleline
15 x Orruk Ardboys (255)***
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Orruk Ardboys (170)***
– Reinforced x 1
5 x Orruk Brutes (160)
– Jagged Gore-hackas
– 1x Gore Choppas

Units
3 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)*
– Jagged Gore-hackas
6 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (240)**
– Reinforced x 1
3 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)***
– Jagged Gore-hackas

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

Total: 1970 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 151
Drops: 12

Alex has brought in Kruleboyz and range threat with the 6 Man-Skewer Boltboyz. They have the ability to shoot at up to 24″ something that my list doesn’t have. They are backed up by a Swampcalla Shaman who will be able to make the Boltboyz cause mortal wounds on a 5 or 6 to hit. They have 7 shots (2 damage) at 24″ range so that’s on average 4 mortal wounds – not a high amount, but within 12″ that suddenly becomes 13 shots with the same mortal wound chance – or 8 mortal wounds – good bye small characters.

He’s taken the Wurrgog Prophet with Glowin’ Tatooz to give him a 4+ ward in possibly the best single model in a Big Waaagh! list. He can stare at a unit within 12″ and do mortal wounds until they die (or he does!!) Beware of going near him as he needs over 14 successful wounds to kill him!

For the rest of the army Alex has taken hitty, hitty things mostly from the Ironjawz side of the book. The two Warchanters allow Violent Fury (+1 Damage) to keep coming and ensure the important +2 Waaagh points per turn, and the Orruk Megaboss can hit if need be – but he’s also a budget spell caster with the Hand of Gork for useful movement shenanigans. His troops are 2 x 3 Gore Gruntas which I would guess are either for shielding other units, or charging in early for extra Waaagh points and some early damages, and 25 Ardboyz (15 and 10).

Their profile isn’t anything to write home about (3/4+/3+/-/1) but with Waaagh points they are quickly 3+/2+ and Violent Fury can get them to 2 damage as well. Ignore them at your peril… and if you don’t a Rally works on a 4+ – if you go in, make sure you kill them. The hitty stuff is rounded off with 5 Orruk Brutes with Jagged Gore-Hackas for the -2 rend. Once again with Violent Fury these guys can put a dent in anything – up to and including a Mega Gargant – so can’t be ignored. Of course their Bravery is a problem but I imagine Alex will be keeping back some Inspiring Presence for them if the need arises. And he’s finishing it all off with a Mirebrute on Troggoth – this thing can swing, get damaged, and swing with more! It’s great a number one target for a lot of armies meaning the rest of the force is left alone to do it’s stuff.

What a great army, and certainly different from the one I’m running. Great to see the Kruleboyz making an appearance as well. Good Luck Alex!

Mike – Big Waaagh!

Mike caught me at March to War where my Big Waaagh had their first outing and we spent some time discussing what else was possible… well he’s certainly brought something different.

Allegiance: Big Waaagh!
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Wurrgog Prophet (150)*
– Artefact: Glowin’ Tattooz
– Lore of the Savage Beast: Gorkamorka’s War Cry
Gobsprakk, The Mouth of Mork (280)*
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
– Warbeat: Get ‘Em Beat
Snatchaboss on Sludgeraker Beast (315)**
– Artefact: Mork’s Eye Pebble
– Mount Trait: Fast ‘Un
Swampcalla Shaman with Pot-grot (105)**
– Lore of the Swamp: Nasty Hex
Orruk Warchanter (115)**
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Warbeat: Fixin’ Beat
– Lore of the Weird: Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork

Battleline
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)**
10 x Orruk Brutes (320)***
– Jagged Gore-hackas
– Reinforced x 1
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)*

Units
3 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)***
– Jagged Gore-hackas
6 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (240)***
– Reinforced x 1

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

Additional Enhancements
Artefact
Artefact

Total: 1980 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 130
Drops: 11

With slightly fewer wounds than Alex or me, you may be thinking this army is easier to beat, but you’d be wrong. Mike has gone for the 6 Bolt Boltboyz and a Swampcalla Shaman as well so has ranged output – in today’s Age of Sigmar a real boon – and a Wurrgog Prophet with Glowin’ Tatooz (I mean, it’s in the book for a reason!!); but he then starts to have some differences… and some of them are big!

The Warchanter is the Wizard with Hand of Gork – remember it can teleport friendly units – which leaves Mike with enough points to take not one, but two monsters. And they’re both Kruleboyz!

Gobsprakk is the first option as the Mouth of Mork. He is definitely anti-wizard doing damage on a successful dispel and being able to dispel once on a 3D6 for that critical spell, on that critical turn. With the +1 from Waaagh points normally gained in turn 2 this makes him great at dispelling and may even convince some opponents not to cast at all – a win/win! Sure he’s a little easy to kill if the opponent charges him, but there’s loads of screens.

The second monster is a Sludgeraker… so those Boltboyz are doing 3 mortal wounds for each 6 rolled. Sure, there’s no rerolls like Sentinels so you can’t go fishing, but it’s a great output and can be used on an ‘Unleash Hell’ – so be careful charging anywhere near those Boltboyz. I’ve only fought one once and have an unassembled one upstairs – they are lovely models and – whilst expensive – they can also fight themselves. Having two monsters makes Monstrous Takeover almost a given, and can even get some bonus points from Savage Spearhead (with Fast Un he’s quick) and using the Warchanter or Swampcalla to get Furious Advance with Monsters – great for those extra points which can be key to victory.

Outside characters, Mike has resisted any temptation to try out the Gutrippaz who are over-costed and has gone for 2 x 5 Ardboys for screening / objective control and 10 Brutes for smashing – you can guess when you get near where the Violent Fury is going.

The army is rounded off by a unit of 3 Gore Gruntas who are great fun for a turn 1 strike is an opponent deploys poorly – with Violent Fury, Mighty Destroyers, move 9″ and charge they can make a mess turn 1, or make your opponent consider taking the first turn and wasting it. A great addition.

It’ll be great to catch-up with Mike & Alex at the event and I wish them both luck – it’ll be great to see different Big Waaagh lists piloted at events.

And, just for completeness my list:

Declan – Big Waaagh!

Allegiance: Big Waaagh!
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumphs:

Leaders
Megaboss on Maw-Krusha (480)*
– General
– Boss Choppa and Rip-tooth fist
– Command Trait: Touched by the Waaagh!
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Mount Trait: Fast ‘Un
– Lore of the Weird: Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork
Wurrgog Prophet (150)*
– Artefact: Glowin’ Tattooz
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
– Warbeat: Fixin’ Beat
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
– Warbeat: Fixin’ 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
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)***
– 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)***
– 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers

Units
4 x Ironskull’s Boyz (80)***
3 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)**
– Jagged Gore-hackas
2 x Savage Big Stabbas (80)*

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Hunters of the Heartlands
***Ironjawz Fist

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 148
Drops: 11 

It’s mostly Ironjawz, but with the Wurrgog. I’ve gone for the Maw Krusha because of his threat – it’s monstrous – and then hitty models… lots of hitty models.

You can find out how it works elsewhere on Woehammer, so I won’t repeat myself! Just check out some of my other articles on it.

Good luck to all the other players this weekend as well – especially my fellow Chumps!

— Declan