This is the Top Three AoS Lists for GT Bilbao that took place in Spain on 10th and 12th December. It involved 26 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament.

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The Top Three AoS Lists

Allegiance: Lumineth Realm-lords
– Great Nation: Ymetrica
– Grand Strategy: Alarith Afterschock
– Triumphs: Indomitable

Leaders
Archmage Teclis and Celennar, Spirit of Hysh (700)
Alarith Stonemage (120)*
– General
– Command Trait: Unyielding Toughness
– Artefact: Molten Talisman
– Lore of the High Peaks: Unbreakable Stoicism
Avalenor, the Stoneheart King (420)*

Battleline
5 x Alarith Stoneguard (120)*
– Diamondpick Hammers
10 x Alarith Stoneguard (240)**
– Diamondpick Hammers
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Alarith Stoneguard (240)**
– Diamondpick Hammers
– Reinforced x 1

Units
5 x Tree-Revenants (110)*
– Allies

Endless Spells & Invocations
Rune of Petrification (40)

Faction Terrain
Shrine Luminor (0)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Expert Conquerors

Total: 1990 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 110 / 400
Wounds: 97
Drops: 4

Ed: This is typical of the kind of lists we’ve been seeing since the new Lumineth Realmlords tome. It is tricky to run properly as Teclis has a whopping 18 spells to choose from and takes up so much of your points that what’s left really has no room to make mistakes. You need to know your rules inside and out – not a list for players who take 10 mins to read their warscrolls each round! However, the versatility of Teclis coupled with the hardiness and output of his Alarith entourage can accomplish a great deal even with so few models on the board.

Avalenor is a certified beatstick, especially with his pet stonemage in tow keeping him on top bracket for as long as possible. He and Teclis have the ability to dictate the course of the battle, while the Stoneguard will do most of the actual heavy lifting. Even as Galletian Veterans, Stoneguard are hardy anvils which gain a 4+ ward against mortal wounds while contesting an objective they control and the ability to ignore rend of -1 and -2! Plus in the Expert Conquerers battalion they count as 3 per model, meaning their hold over that objective and access to their ward are extra secure. They’re not too bad on the offensive either, though certainly the support from Avalenor and Teclis is crucial.

Then there are the Tree Revenants. A cheeky little unit that can pop up in unexpected places and secure objectives without much investment. It forces your opponent to play a little defensively and deploy their forces in less than ideal positions to prevent a catastrophic backdoor teleports. Even if they don’t steal an objective or assassinate a vulnerable unit, just having them on the board can be worth it for how it changes your opponent’s behaviour in your favour. I can’t speak highly enough of these guys as a list filler for any order faction who can ally them in.

It’s a brilliant list, clearly played excellently to have reached first place. But time is running out to make use of it! With a new GHB just around the corner, and Expert Conquerors/Bounty Hunters almost certainly about to disappear will similar builds continue to reach the top of the podium?

Allegiance: Ogor Mawtribes
– Mawtribe: Underguts
– Grand Strategy: Defend What’s Ours
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Butcher (135)*
– General
– Tenderiser
– Command Trait: Reluctant Rabble-rouser
– Artefact: Gruesome Trophy Rack
– Lore of Gutmagic: Blubbergrub Stench
Frostlord on Stonehorn (445)**
– Mount Trait: Rockmane Elder

Battleline
4 x Leadbelchers (170)*
4 x Leadbelchers (170)*
4 x Leadbelchers (170)**

Units
20 x Gnoblars (100)**
20 x Gnoblars (100)**

Artillery
Ironblaster (170)
Ironblaster (170)
Ironblaster (170)*
Ironblaster (170)**

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Battle Regiment

Total: 1970 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 146
Drops: 4

Brett: The current Big Bad of AoS according to many threads, as always shooting is effective and controversial. The increase in range for the Leadbelchers (to 18″) means it’s a lot easier for them to stand still. Standing still now guarantees 2 shots (2D3 v 1D6), not a lot but it’s significantly more damage. Ironblasters long range shot moving to a guaranteed 4 damage at 30″ with -2 Rend and doubling the number of shots is a huge deal. Their Hail Shot (10 shots, Rend -1, D2) is effective in Unleash hell and both units are solid melee damage dealers as are their Leaders. Fittingly for Ogors they are tough (4+ save) multiwound (4W for Leadblechers and 9W for Ironblasters) models who also tank well. With multiple small units they also blunt the counter strike and limit carry over damage.

With two effective (and cheap) screens in the Gnoblars (who aren’t even GV) to keep opponents out of your hair, it’s a challenge to take apart. Only the event’s 1st place managed to do so in the 3rd round, a match up of the new tomes, with the Stoneguard coming out on top. Scoring 20 in 3 rounds it looks like Adrian might have tabled his opponents frequently, certainly a chance with this sort of shooting.

Allegiance: Idoneth Deepkin
– Enclave: Fuethan
– Grand Strategy: The Creeping Gloomtide
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Eidolon of Mathlann, Aspect of the Sea (325)*
– General
– Command Trait: Endless Sea Storm
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of the Deeps: Steed of Tides
Isharann Soulscryer (150)*
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Curse

Battleline
20 x Namarti Reavers (340)*
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Namarti Reavers (170)*
2 x Akhelian Allopexes (330)**
– Razorshell Harpoon
– Reinforced x 1
2 x Akhelian Allopexes (330)**
– Razorshell Harpoon
– Reinforced x 1
2 x Akhelian Allopexes (330)**
– Razorshell Harpoon
– Reinforced x 1

Endless Spells & Invocations
The Burning Head (20)

Faction Terrain
Gloomtide Shipwreck (0)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Bounty Hunters

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 95
Drops: 4

Patrick: What a strange list, and yet here we are in the top 3. Fuethan opens up the ability to take Allopexes as Battleline as well as bringing in Bloodthirsty Shivers (which gain some bonus attacks if they are within a certain distance of one another). In Jordi’s Case, they have opted to take three squads of 2 without bringing any Shivers at all. Allopexes are already excellent “independent operator” units, and placing them in a Bounty Hunters battalion improves their ability to clear objectives, allowing for the slower Namarti to move in.

Speaking of Namarti, Jordi has brought 2 units, both fairly small. 30 Reavers spread across 2 units is decent if you’re pushing for a skirmish force, but the frailty of the Namarti will sting if anything focuses on them for very long. The Soulscryer’s ability to deep-strike will allow all of the Namarti to start the game off the board, which would allow for better early survival.

The final unit is an Eidolon general, bringing the Arcane Tome and Endless Sea Storm. The Eidolon innately has full re-rolls for casting, unbind, and dispelling, and Endless Sea Storm allows the ability to cast an additional spell for each successful casting attempt with a result greater than 7. The Eidolon has some solid warscroll spells, and with these upgrades he becomes a high-quality support hero that will do a lot to keep the Allopexes alive.

Allegiance: Fyreslayers
– Lodge: Greyfyrd
– Grand Strategy: Master of the Forge
– Triumphs: Indomitable

Leaders
Auric Runesmiter (135)*
– Runic Iron
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Heal
Auric Runeson (80)*
– Ancestral War-axe
– Artefact: Axe of Grimnir
Battlesmith (150)*
– Artefact: Nulsidian Icon
Auric Flamekeeper (90)**
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Universal Spell Lore: Ghost-mist
Auric Runefather on Magmadroth (360)**
– General
– Command Trait: Blood of the Berzerker
– Artefact: Master Rune of Unbreakable Resolve
– Magmadroth Trait: Coal-heart Ancient
Auric Runemaster (125)**
– Artefact: Volatile Brazier
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Heal

Battleline
15 x Hearthguard Berzerkers (480)***
– Poleaxes
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Hearthguard Berzerkers (320)***
– Broadaxes
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Handaxes (170)**

Endless Spells & Invocations
Molten Infernoth (40)
Runic Fyrewall (40)

Faction Terrain
Magmic Battleforge (0)

Core Battalions
*Command Entourage – Magnificent
**Warlord
***Expert Conquerors

Additional Enhancements
Artefact
Artefact

Total: 1990 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 3 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 112
Drops: 9

Brett: Straight forward enough, the foot heroes provide a 4+ ward (in Greyfyrd) and can use their prayer (heal) to get the Hearthguard close enough to charge. The triple reinforced Hearthguard averages 10 mortal wounds (MW) in addition to their normal damage. Both Hearthguard are Expert Conquerors to give some solid objective play for really elite army. This is a great way to play into the current meta and try to deal with long range shooting. The primary hammers have the option of rending or non rending weapons to manage armies like Nighthaunt and the Vulkites are a risk for melee army with their fight on death.

As always though there are trade offs, this is such a slow army that you might be better to not engage the central castle forcing them to come to your or spread. Either works giving you the chance to weaken them piecemeal. Score wise I think that lack of movement may have cost him dearly.

Final Tournament Placings