This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the SoCal Masters Grand Tournament that took place in Texas, USA on 7th and 8th January. It involved 10 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament.

Before I jump into the Top Three AoS Lists, I wanted to remind everyone of our friendly Discord server where you can join in the conversation with the Woehammer crew and suggest articles or series for the website.

If you like what we’re doing, why not join our Patreon and help keep it going?

Also if there’s a one day or two day tournament you’d like us to cover drop us a comment on this post and we’ll have a look at it for you.

The Top Three AoS Lists

Army Faction: Beasts of Chaos
– Army Subfaction: Allherd
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Indomitable

LEADER
1 x Dragon Ogor Shaggoth (155)**
– Spells: Hailstorm, Sundering Blades
1 x Tzaangor Shaman (135)**
– General
– Command Traits: Dominator
– Artefacts: Blade of the Desecrator
– Spells: Vicious Stranglethorns, Wild Rampage
1 x Grashrak Fellhoof (150)**
– Spells: Savage Dominion, Wild Rampage

BATTLELINE
10 x Ungors (65)***
– Brayhorn
– Banner Bearer
– Ungor Blade and Half-shield
10 x Ungors (65)***
– Banner Bearer
– Brayhorn
– Ungor Blade and Half-shield
30 x Tzaangors (525)***
– Twistbray
– 2 x Icon Bearer
– 2 x Brayhorn Blower
– 4 x Tzaangor Mutant

ENDLESS SPELL
1 x Wildfire Taurus (70)
1 x Ravening Direflock (30)

OTHER
6 x Tzaangor Enlightened on Discs of Tzeentch (360)*
6 x Tzaangor Enlightened on Discs of Tzeentch (360)*
1 x Tuskgor Chariots (65)*
5 x Grashrak’s Despoilers (150)**

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Bounty Hunters
**Warlord
***Expert Conquerors

TOTAL POINTS: (1980/2000)

Danny: Beasts of Chaos are finally running scared….of their new book. Because it contains at least the possibility of them being balanced.

In the meantime, you have something like this. In case you’re unfamiliar with how BoC work, let’s just say they do everything, with loads of bodies that punch above their weight (thanks to the Herdstone which gives rend that stacks by battle round and a 4+ rally emanating in an increasingly large aura by battle round) coming in from board edges when you least want them to.

For those who are experienced in such matters, let’s look to the innovations in this list. Well, it takes Grashrak Fellhoof and his merry band of Despoilers for a spin, on loan from Underworlds – who allows Brayherd units (i.e. most of the stuff in the list) to get…+3 to their movement…and a tasty spell for d3 mortals and +1 to hit for all units into that target. In true BoC fashion, that would probably be good value enough on its own but the 5 Despoilers in tow act as a bodyguard/ablative wounds too.

Beyond the usual ‘borrowing’ of the best stuff from the new Tzeentch book, the list also includes a token Tuskgor chariot. You don’t see those every day! But for 65 pts it’s a 10″ move, 6 wound on a 4+ piece with minor chip damage – but it’s 65 pts and moves 10″, who cares what else it does. The things BoC have access to for under 75 pts never ceases to amaze me.

Wishlist from the new book: change everything. Yes the models are old and ugly but their rules don’t need to match.

Of course – kudos to the general, as no army can win without skill. And there’s a lot to remember with BoC.

Gregory Brewer 3/0/2

Army Faction: Orruk Warclans
– Army Type: Ironjawz
– Subfaction: Bloodtoofs
– Grand Strategy: Waaagh!
– Triumph: Inspired

LEADERS
Orruk Weirdnob Shaman (90)
– Spells: Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork
Megaboss on Maw-krusha (480)*
– General
– Boss Choppa and Rip-toof Fist
– Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome
– Mount Traits: Fast ’Un
– Spells: Bash ’Em Ladz
– Bonding: Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur
Orruk Warchanter (115)*
Orruk Warchanter (115)*

BATTLELINE
Orruk Ardboys (85)*
Orruk Ardboys (85)*
Orruk Gore-gruntas (340)**
– Jagged Gore-hacka
Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)**
– Jagged Gore-hacka

BEHEMOTH
Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (480)*

CORE BATTALIONS
*Battle Regiment
**Bounty Hunters

TOTAL POINTS: 1960/2000

Brett: Two things Ironjawz don’t love; huge screens (that they don’t clear on the first attempt) and lots of rend. Beasts bring both. Greg bounced back from a first round loss to the eventual winner before losing again in the 4th round to Kruleboyz (KB). Mortal wounds can be an issue for Ironjawz and 21 Boltboyz in 2 x 9 and a 3 man create some problems. Greg’s tried to increase damage output by taking Bash ’em ladz (+1 to wound rolls) but it’s not reliable with the high casting value. This list trys uses the Mawcrusha and 6 Goregruntas as the dynamic damage combination with the Krondspine as a 3rd threat/pining piece. Unfortunately, screens and MW shooting is a tough ask for a melee army. With poisons and MW those Boltboyz are removing a pig or two with Unleash Hell.

Other than his 2 losses though Ironjawz punished his opponents. Krondspine works great in the list either pining something important or distracting attacks from the Mawcrusha. 6 Gore gruntas have likewise proven to be a good foil to the Mawcrusha either supporting a push on one flank or allowing board wide pressure. Teleporting ardboyz is another effective distraction opportunity. Everyone knows the alpha strike but the inclusion of Krondspine and the larger Goregrunta unit give more subtlety and give options. It’s a matter of choice whether you take the Shaman for the teleport or not, it’s a very effective distraction/scoring mechanism.

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals
– Stormhost: Hallowed Knights (Scions of the Storm)
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Gardus Steel Soul (150)*
Lord-Castellant (155)*
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Spell: Celestial Blades

Battleline
5 x Vanquishers (110)*
5 x Vanquishers (110)*
5 x Vanquishers (110)*

Units
4 x Stormdrake Guard (680)**
– Drakerider’s Warblade
– Reinforced x 1
4 x Stormdrake Guard (680)**
– Drakerider’s Warblade
– Reinforced x 1

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Bounty Hunters

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 116
Drops: 3

Brett: If there is one thing Stormcast have in spades, other than dragons, it’s Battleline units. Vanquishers are seeing some more use but usually a single unit, taking 3 is a bit of a risk but worth it if there are horde armies around. Drop one onto an unprotected objective and even if your opponent removes them they will attack on death, they have the Thunderstrike keyword as well give their Blaze of Glory an extra dice. Easier to shift with only a 4+ but damaging to deal with. No holy command is shown but if it was Call to Aid (likely) then that dead unit is going to return (only once per battle). Otherwise we have Gardus for a 5+ ward within 12″ and the Lord Castellant (who we’ll probably be seeing even more often as a Galletian Champion). Generally he’d put both buffs (+1 to save and +1 to wound) on a unit before it was sent into harms way.

Still there are issues, the Drakes have a lot of wounds but are hard to give cover from shooting, they can easily get out of buff range, redeploy can ruin charges and with high rend they will wilt. Evan recovered from 2 losses in the opening rounds, losing to a SCE list with a lot of shooting and Krondys (with Thudershock to wreck those charges and leave you exposed to the shooting). The second loss was to Maggotkin, damage output is a continuing issue for SCE and you don’t really want to be near them very long or the mortals pile up. Solid mobile list very reflective of where SCE is right now.

Army Faction: Fyreslayers
– Subfaction: Lofnir
– Grand Strategy: Masters of the Forge
– Triumph: Inspired

LEADERS
Auric Runemaster (125)*
– General
– Command Traits: Avatar of Vulcatrix
– Artefacts of Power: Volatile Brazier
– Prayers: Heal
Auric Runesmiter (135)*
– Runic Iron
– Prayers: Prayer Of Ash
Celestial Hurricanum with Celestial Battlemage (290)*

BATTLELINE
Auric Runeson on Magmadroth (320)*
– Ancestral War-axe
– Mount Traits: Coal-heart Ancient
Auric Runeson on Magmadroth (320)*
– Ancestral War-axe
– Mount Traits: Flame-scale Youngblood
Auric Runeson on Magmadroth (320)*
– Ancestral War-axe
– Mount Traits: Lava-tongue Adult
Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Handaxes (170)*
– Karl
– Hornblower of Grimnir
Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Handaxes (170)*
– Karl
– Hornblower of Grimnir

ENDLESS SPELLS & INVOCATIONS
1 x Runic Fyrewall (40)
1 x Horrorghast (40)
1 x Molten Infernoth (40)

TERRAIN
1 x Magmic Battleforge (0)

CORE BATTALIONS
*Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: 1970/2000

Alice: There’s really only two ways to build Fyreslayers: Berzerker spam and Magmadroth Spam, but it comes with the territory of having a limited number of models.

That said…this one is interesting. Lofnir lets you bring Magmadroths as battleline, and juices them up to boot with extra wounds and mount traits. They’re a solid work horse monster that can do some solid damage output and horde clearing, a task Fyreslayers frequently struggle with. The Runesmiter and Runemaster support the army with powerful prayers, including the important Infernoth for Mortal Wound output and the Fyrewall to protect important units and objectives. Also key, the Runesmiter can tunnel a Magmadroth in 9″ away from the enemy, with bonuses to charge thanks to a supercharged rune granted through the army’s Heroic Action.

The Celestial Hurricanum is an interesting ally, it helps cover two of the Fyreslayer’s biggest weaknesses: Lack of Wizards and Ranged Mortal Wounds. A solid choice for artillery support. Rounding it off it can cast the Horrorghast, a powerful way to clear out a few extra models from large hordes by blocking Inspiring Presence.

Final Tournament Placings