This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Age of Sigmar, Summer Smash that took place in Irvine, California, USA on 13 and 14 August. It involved 79 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament. With more than 50 players and only 2 days/5 rounds the top 3 didn’t meet each other so no real meta comparisons are possible. But the event being determined by points alone gives a really good comparison between the Generals (aka the Hand of God).

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The Top Three AoS Lists

– Army Faction: Orruk Warclans
– Army Type: Big Waaagh!
– Grand Strategy: Waaagh!
– Triumph: Bloodthirsty
Leaders
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
Wurrgog Prophet (150)*
– Artefacts of Power: Glowin’ Tattooz
– Spells: Gorkamorka’s War Cry
Killaboss on Corpse-rippa Vulcha (240)*
– General
– Command Traits: Supa Sneaky
– Artefacts of Power: Mork’s Eye Pebble
– Mount Traits: Fast ’Un
Orruk Warchanter (115)****
Orruk Weirdnob Shaman (90)****
– Spells: Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork
Battleline
Orruk Ardboys (85)*
– Gorkamorka Glyph Bearer
– Ardboy Boss
– Waaagh! Drummer
– 2 x Orruk-forged Shield
Orruk Ardboys (255)***
– Ardboy Boss
– 3 x Gorkamorka Glyph Bearer
– 3 x Waaagh! Drummer
– 6 x Orruk-forged Shield
Orruk Ardboys (85)***
– Ardboy Boss
– 2 x Orruk-forged Shield
Orruk Ardboys (85)***
– Ardboy Boss
– Waaagh! Drummer
– Gorkamorka Glyph Bearer
– 2 x Orruk-forged Shield
Units
Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)**
– Gore-grunta Boss
– Jagged Gore-hacka
Morgok’s Krushas (90)**
Man-skewer Boltboyz (240)****
Man-skewer Boltboyz (240)****
Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Bounty Hunters
***Expert Conquerors
****Battle Regiment
TOTAL POINTS: 1960/2000

Brett: It’s been a while since an Orruk army has been at the top of the podium and it’s fantastic to see a Big Waagh army at number one in such a big tournament. He’s done it by adding in Mortal Wound output (Wurrgog and Bolt Boyz) with range (Bolt Boyz again). That’s cost him the Mawcrusha but the Corpse-rippa moves almost as fast and is still very good in combat. Additionally having the Warchanter and Wurrgog means at the start of every turn the army is generating D6+3 Waagh points. That will make getting into combat and hitting harder that much easier. The list is centred on the Ardboyz in both MSU and a double reinforced contingent. All have as many shields as possible improving their save. Near a Warchanter they are rallying on a 4+ as well.

They only move 4″ but the Shaman can (might not but you have to allow for it) drop either the Gore Gruntas or the big block of ardboyz into your back area. The Boltboyz are hard to get to through shields, only long range shooting would threaten them, only the Skaven had much access to that. Aaron certainly didn’t win the tournament through his list building, this would have taken careful considered play to win but he took down meta lists with an off meta choice and should be congratulated.

Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
– Subfaction: Drowned Men
– Mortal Realm: Ghyran
– Grand Strategy: Blessed Desecration
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty
Leaders
Bloab Rotspawned (300)
– Lore of Malignance: Rancid Visitations
Orghotts Daemonspew (300)*
Lord of Afflictions (210)*
– General
– Command Trait: Overpowering Stench
– Artefact: The Shield of Growths
Gutrot Spume (170)*
Battleline
5 x Putrid Blightkings (250)**
5 x Putrid Blightkings (250)**
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)***
– 1x Dolorous Tocsin
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)***
– 1x Dolorous Tocsin
Core Battalions
*Command Entourage – Magnificent
**Expert Conquerors
***Bounty Hunters
Additional Enhancements
Triumph
Total: 1920 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 115
Drops: 8

Brett: Another Nurgle army in the top 3, they are having a lot of success in the current meta with or without Galletian Veterans. I think this list is a good example of why, there are a few really good warscrolls and the book is well enough balanced to allow multiple options in both heroes and troops. Lots of deployment tricks in this army. Firstly Drowned Men giving an 8″ pregame move to the Blightlords. The Blightkings and Gutrot Spume can be placed in reserve at the start of the game as well. Bloab is relatively common in current armies, mortal wounds, combat wizard and debuffs to units within 7″. That’s all enemy units within 7″.

We aren’t seeing Orghotts a lot lately but apart from being a strong combat hero he has a free command point a turn to spend on Mortal units (Blightkings). A lot of thought went into this army including adapting to a lack of mobility on the Blightkings and redundancy in the heroes. The army doesn’t have a lot of spells or denies and might be vulnerable there. Still it’s proven that it is flexible and effective taking out Sons of Behemat (DPS check) while being effective into horde armies (Soulblight) and rend cancelling (Nighthaunt). Great work going 5/0.

Allegiance: Seraphon
– Constellation: Thunder Lizard
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: Continuous Expansion
– Triumphs: Inspired
Leaders
Celestant-Prime, Hammer of Sigmar (325)**
– Allies
Lord Kroak (430)**
Saurus Astrolith Bearer (140)**
– Artefact: Fusil of Conflaguration
Engine of the Gods (265)***
– General
– Command Trait: Prime Warbeast
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Mount Trait: Beastmaster
– Spell: Hand of Glory
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Heal
Battleline
5 x Saurus Guard (115)*
10 x Skinks (75)*
– Boltspitters Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers
10 x Skinks (75)*
– Boltspitters Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers
Behemoths
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)***
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)***
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)***
Endless Spells & Invocations
Horrorghast (40)
Chronomantic Cogs (40)
Core Battalions
*Expert Conquerors
**Command Entourage – Magnificent
***Linebreaker
Additional Enhancements
Artefact
Total: 2000 / 2000

Brett: Last of the 5/0 lists and we have Seraphon, Thunder Lizard. Lord Kroak will dominate the casting supported by the Astrolith and even the Engine with Arcane Tome. Kroak is an amazing piece, all up this list has 7 casts/unbinds and reroll from Cogs. The Skinks and Saurus are really here as screens and for opportunistic objective play. They can always summon more skinks. The Bastiladons are the main damage dealer in the army which really wants you to get close for the melee attacks and pile the magic on. The Bastiladon wing is averaging 9 MW from the Ark every turn, if that’s concentrated it’s a major headache. The Ark is really good for dealing with Nighthaunt 1 damage model (no rend and a lot of dice).

Mass mortal wounds and lots of low quality attacks really plays into the Horrorghast. Even losing one or two models could be enough to see an MSU flee or even a large block of NH vanish to moral. And other than Mortal Wounds the Bastiladon with the 1+ save is a real problem. Scarlet Doom NH should have had the least problems but they would have been playing without magic so not able to return models. Overall a really solid difficult to deal with army but may struggle to succour battle tactics and score with only a few trading pieces (unless the Engine really fires well).

Army Faction: Ogor Mawtribes
– Subfaction: Underguts
– Grand Strategy: Defend What’s Ours
– Triumph: Inspired
Leaders
Frostlord on Stonehorn (430)*
– Artefacts of Power: Gnoblar Blast Keg
– Mount Traits: Metalcruncher
Tyrant (150)*
– General
– Command Traits: Mass of Scars
– Big Name: Fateseeker
– Artefacts of Power: Gruesome Trophy Rack
Butcher (135)*
– Cleaver
– Spells: Blubbergrub Stench
Battleline
Ironguts (235)**
– Bellower
– Rune Maw Bearer
– Gutlord
Leadbelchers (180)**
– Thunderfist
Leadbelchers (180)**
– Thunderfist
Artillery
Ironblaster (130)
Ironblaster (130)
Ironblaster (130)
Other
Gnoblars (100)
– Groinbiter
Gnoblars (200)*
– Groinbiter
Terrain
1 x Great Mawpot (0)
Core battalions
*Warlord
– Magnificent
**Bounty Hunters
TOTAL POINTS: 2000/2000

Brett: The last list for the event is a faction we don’t see a lot – Ogor Mawtribes. Mawtribes is probably a anti meta choice and Underguts shooting list even more so. Underguts gives an extra 6″ range but this is a really swingy old world faction. Leadbelchers have to roll for the number of their ranged attacks (D3 and D6 if they don’t move), The Ironguts have a single long range shot that does D6 damage, and Gnoblars to die aimlessly. Ogor’s are a heap of fun, just not reliable. With only one caster and cast this isn’t a magic army. Everything in the army, even the Butcher has combat capability, it’s hard to close and not take damage unless you can wipe a unit. The Butcher needs to stay back (5+ save) but almost everything except the Gnoblar are 4 wounds with a 4+ save.

That’s a bit of a break point, with 32 effective wounds you need serious strikes to be sure of destroying the unit. If you don’t then they can hit back very hard and your unit is open to be charged by another Ogor. 13th in a large tournament is an awesome effort. NH turning off rend impacts Ogor better quality attacks and Maggotkin mortal wound production are both big impacts to the Ogors. I suspect the shooting from this list was a bit of a surprise to most.

Final Tournament Placings