This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Texas Masters Grand Tournament that took place in Texas, USA on 16th and 17th July. It involved 32 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament. The other thing to note is that this tournament used the 21-22 GHB.

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The Top Three AoS Lists

Army Faction: Orruk Warclans
– Army Type: Bonesplitterz
– Army Subfaction: Drakkfoot
– Grand Strategy: Get Dem Bones!
– Triumphs: Inspired

LEADER
Wurrgog Prophet (150)*
– Artefacts: Glowin’ Tattooz
– Spells: Gorkamorka’s War Cry
Wurrgog Prophet (150)*
– Artefacts: Mork’s Boney Bitz
– Spells: Gorkamorka’s War Cry
Savage Big Boss (65)*
– General
– Command Traits: Great Hunter

BATTLELINE
Savage Orruk Morboys (155) **
Savage Orruk Morboys (155) **
Savage Orruks (165) **

ENDLESS SPELL
The Burning Head (20)

OTHER
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)
Savage Big Stabbas (80)*

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Warlord
**Hunters of heartland

TOTAL POINTS: (1980/2000)

Brett: At the start of AoS3 there was talk about how the Bonesplitterz had been left behind with the new Orruk battletome. Well no more, a major GT win going undefeated with one draw against really solid armies is a fantastic performance. And to do it with a list that should bring a smile to anyone’s face (Bonesplitterz are old style orks). Lets take a moment to acknowledge the dedication needed to have 16 big stabbas through any means. GW originals are just 2 per box of Savage Orruks.

It’s pretty clear how this will work, the Savage Big Boss gives the Big Stabbas a pregame 8″ move increasing their first round movement to 13″ before run. That gets them within range of any centre objectives in the first round and charge range of anything forward deployed on most maps. If they go second that might make them exposed but there are a lot of them and each is a separate unit. As well, Bonesplitterzs have a 6+ ward normally and a 4+ if the Waagh is called. So unless you split fire you mightn’t get too many in a turn. For armies like Seraphon that often have a few high quality shots this is a nightmare, with a 6+ save you don’t need Rend to kill Big Stabbas.

But wait there’s more. All of the battleline units are in Hunters of the Heartland, preventing monster Shenanigans. If you are going to attack them then make sure you get in, they like charging (either an extra attack or +1 to wound rolls if they succeed). The Prophet’s can force a unit to fight last but their Mask is the biggest boon. If they stare then on a 3+ it’s D3 Mortal Wounds. That’s enough to drop a Bastilidon out of their top bracket. Of course they can continue to stare and risk blowing themselves up. I’ve heard of up to 20 wounds delivered that way. Their warscroll spell is pretty good, best again big units but still a good alternative to Arcane Bolt. Prophets are a really good reason to look at Bigwaagh lists if you like Ironjawz or Kruleboyz.

Even the artefacts are really well chosen, Glowing Tattoos giving an improved ward save and Boney Bits granting a +1 to casting/dispell for each monster within 24″. In a monster meta that could be interesting. This looks like a skew list but it’s really a balanced army in the crazy Bonesplitterz way. The army may be a result of the Masters format and knowledge of the opponents but this is an incredible effort into very good armies with strong players. Congratulations.

Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
– Subfaction: Blessed Sons
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line – Triumphs: Indomitable

Leaders
The Glottkin (700)
– Lore of Malignance: Rancid Visitations
Bloab Rotspawned (300)
– General
– Lore of Malignance: Plague Squall

Battleline
10 x Putrid Blightkings (500)*
– Reinforced x 1
5 x Putrid Blightkings (250)*
5 x Putrid Blightkings (250)*

Core Battalions
*Hunters of the Heartlands

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 1 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 113
Drops: 5

Brett: Even someone that isn’t a fan has to admire the beautiful simplicity of this army. Playing into the resilience Nurgle is known for with only 22 models but 113 wounds. Starting from the top – Blessed Sons hands out extra mortal wounds, a nice change from the more common Drowned Men. Glottkin is almost half the army but is an enormous threat in his own right as well as being able to hand out mortal wounds if you are close, additional healing to all Nurgle units within 14″, heals himself and is incredibly hard to kill. To effectively kill him you need to generate 60 damage, hard to do in one turn, and he can heal D3 without heroic actions. Packed here with a mortal wound on a 2+ spell.

Bloab is here to hand out MW like candy through his presence as well as his high quality attacks. For extra spice he can hand out additional Disease points. To be clear everyone of these units can put out MW just if you are in engagement range. On top of that if you are in engagement range you are getting disease points and rolling for additional MW at the end of combat. In a meta where the best way to win is get in close fast. Then we come to the Blightkings. Part these on an objective and laugh as your opponent kills him/herself.

They can actively give you disease points, every 6 provides another disease point. The 5 man units will average 4 and the 10 man 8 in a turn at full strength. Their resilence is legendary, bravery 8 and they can increase that to 9 so they aren’t loosing models to Battleshock. The block of 10 is nigh on unkillable, they will soak up nearly 100 D1 R-1 attacks. And they can get healed. Locus of Fecundity is within 14″ not wholly within you can stretch this unit to ensure it’s tagged. It should be easy to cover at least 2 objectives for most of the game. We haven’t even mentioned the summoning or teleporting via the Feculant Gnarlmaw.

I think we will continue to see a lot of Nurgle armies, they play well against the meta and their speed isn’t as punishing. Slow building damage is effective and lets players generate a lot of points in competitions. Great list building and clever play, it’s only a surprise that this didn’t go 5/0 and win. The Bonesplitterz played for keeps.

Army Faction: Idoneth Deepkin
– Subfaction: Nautilar
– Grand Strategy: Hold the Line
– Triumph: Inspired

LEADERS
Akhelian King (250)*
– General
– Command Traits: Unstoppable Fury
– Bladed Polearm and Falchion
– Mount Traits: Voidchill Darkness
Akhelian Thrallmaster (110)*
– Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome
– Spells: Flaming Weapon
Lotann (115)*

BATTLELINE
Namarti Reavers (170)*
Namarti Thralls (130)*
Namarti Thralls (130)*
Namarti Thralls (260)**
Akhelian Leviadon (500)**
– Mount Traits: Reverberating Carapace

OTHER
Akhelian Allopexes (330)*
– Razorshell Harpoon Launcher, Barbed Hooks and Blades

TERRAIN
1 x Gloomtide Shipwreck (0)

CORE BATTALIONS
*Battle Regiment
**Hunters of the Heartlands

TOTAL POINTS: 1995/2000

Brett: The first of the 4/1 armies, and with a loss in the first turn a great turn around. An interesting mix of characters including the new Thrallmaster who really works well to buff Namarti Thralls. His way ability lets you change, by choice, between higher quality attacks (into better saves) or exploding hits or better defence. Being able to choose and not have it as a random ability is fantastic. He’s a pretty effective combat character, easily capable of ganking a small hero and Flaming weapon takes that even further. The Akehelian King is carrying the polearm (D3 on the charge) and buffing different parts of the army, Unstoppable Fury to increase attacks under High Tide and a mount trait that improves saves. His Lord of Tides ability is why you bring him potentially giving fight first after running and charging in round 2.

Lotaan is here for his +1 to wound and his Ishraan ability. Most commonly the can’t be shot if over 12″ is chosen but the +1 to run, advance and charge in Flood Tide is pretty common. With the Thralls’ 6″ movement buffing their charges can be important. 2 units in this army are capable of garrisoning a large shipwreck if both pieces are used together giving them a +5 ward. The large 20 man unit is trying to delete everything, they don’t need to lose many models before battleshock is an issue. The Reavers are useful archers, they can of course shoot but they also create an Unleash Hell risk. They can also wound a unit on an objective or important point boosting the effectiveness of the Allopexes. While their range is short they move pretty fast (8″) giving them 26″ effective range and in Flood Tide can run and still shoot (or potential 32″).

Lastly the 2 bigger offensive units. 2 Allopexes bring some solid shooting and good melee potential if you lock them up. The additional attack for Ferocious Bite is worth triggering whenever possible and it’s good play to reduce the melee threat because with a 4+ save they are a little fragile. Keeping them close to the Leviadon helps this (+1 to save) but isn’t always practical. The Leviadon is, as always, terrifying with a combination of mortal wounds, shooting and devestating melee. I find Idoneth a bit confusing because their best ranged units (Allopex and Levidon) are also their best melee but you don’t want them tied up. Either is great for Eye for an Eye though.

Allegiance: Ossiarch Bonereapers
– Legion: Petrifex Elite
– Grand Strategy: Hold the line
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Mortisan Boneshaper (115)**
– General
– Command Trait: Mighty Archaeossian
– Artefact: Godbone Armour
– Lore of Mortisans: Drain Vitality
Mortisan Soulmason (115)**
– Artefact: Soul Reservoir
– Lore of Mortisans: Arcane Command
Arkhan the Black, Mortarch of Sacrament (340)**

Battleline
20 x Mortek Guard (280)*
– Nadirite Blade and Shield
– Reinforced x 1
20 x Mortek Guard (280)*
– Nadirite Blade and Shield
– Reinforced x 1
20 x Mortek Guard (280)*
– Nadirite Blade and Shield
– Reinforced x 1

Artillery
Mortek Crawler (215)
Mortek Crawler (215)

Endless Spells & Invocations
Chronomantic Cogs (40)
Bone-tithe Shrieker (50)
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

Core Battalions
*Hunters of the heartlands
**Command Entourage – Magnificent

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 3 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 106
Drops: 8

Brett: We aren’t seeing a lot of Ossiarch Bonereapers

The attacks on the Mortek Guard and even Arkhan are just a bit behind a lot of other units. Poor wound rolls combined with low number of attacks or rend negate a lot of their impact. The Crawler’s can lay down a D5 attack, but it’s only 3 attacks, on average you are going to see two wounding blows only slightly more than you see one before saves. Or you can expect 2 rounds of no damage at all per game. That said this is a 4/1 list and he’s played it very well.

With the big blocks of Mortek to screen letting the casters and crawlers work over their targets before charging this is an army that will have a strong final 3 turns. He scored well in most rounds apart from the last although his lowest 2 wins were both against Lumineth. Different armies but both had a lot of wardens and the ability to make the Bonereapers have to try to reach them. Mighty job getting this far.

Final Tournament Placings