This is the top three AoS lists for the Sheffield Slaughter that took place in the UK on the 21st and 22nd of February. It involved 98 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5-game tournament.

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The Top Three AoS Lists

Army Faction: Gloomspite Gitz
– Subfaction: Jaws of Mork
– Grand Strategy: Defend What’s Ours
– Triumph: Indomitable x2

LEADERS
Skragrott, the Loonking (160)*
Squigboss (80)*
– General
– Command Traits: The Clammy Hand
Madcap Shaman (70)*
– Artefacts of Power: Moonface Mommet
– Spells: The Hand of Gork
– Aspects of the Champion: Tunnel Master

BATTLELINE
Boingrot Bounderz (420)
– Bounder Boss
Squig Hoppers (540)
– Squig Hopper Boss
Squig Hoppers (180)
Moonclan Stabbas (125)**
– Bad Moon Icon Bearer
– Gong Basher
– Moonclan Boss
– 3 Barbed Nets
– Stabba
Moonclan Shootas (125)**
– Bad Moon Icon Bearer
– Gong Basher
– Moonclan Boss
– 3 Barbed Nets

OTHER
Marshcrawla Sloggoth (150)
Sneaky Snufflers (110)**

CORE BATTALIONS
*Command Entourage – Magnificent
**Galletian Sharpshooters

TOTAL POINTS: 1960/2000

It’s amazing what a new book can do, and Dan Bradshaw has pivoted from Beasts of Chaos to Gloomspite Gitz following their (near-) simultaneous release. Guess we know which one he thinks is better in the current meta. A lot of the army will be familiar with those who played Gitz through the dark times of the last 3 years, and indeed much of the ‘tech’ that is used has been hardened on the crucible of defeat throughout that time.

Dan has no doubt benefitted from his knowledge of the game and the other armies, but it’s still good to see Gitz doing well with an immediate 5-0 out of the gate. Some of this is going to be ‘what does that do’ as people get used to the new army. Other Gitz players did not perform so well, with long term Trogg player – Stuart – going 1-1-3 (but close in all 5!)

So how does it work, and how do you beat it? Well I may leave the 2nd question for a few weeks yet (got to have some time under the light of the moon), but Dan has gone for a toolkit of toys. Skragrott is much improved, and much cheaper – gaining the Warmaster trait and so being able to play with the moon. The Squigboss gives out helpful bonuses and makes Boingrot Bounders battleline (allowing Dan to take 15 of them). The final character is the Madcap with the two stalwarts of Hand of Gork and Moonface Mommet. Both of which are back and both of which are still as good as ever (dare I say essential).

There’s some support in the Marshcrawler and Snufflers both of which buff the other units. The stabbas and shootas are for objective control (within 9″!) and the hitting power comes from Hoppers and Boingrots. Now they have consistent movement (10″+D6 and 7″+D6″) respectively, can run and charge under the moon and cause mortal wounds… plus the squigs can do some real damage. In the previous book I was very happy if my hoppers moved 10″ as (with run) this was normally enough for a maximum attempt at mortal wounds. Now there’s limited risk and the 10″+D6 is much more generous than I expected.

It’s a great start, but we’ll see if this is a ‘flash in the pan’ or a genuine 5-0 consistent battletome. Only time will tell, but well done to Dan for a really good start.

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

Leaders
Auric Runefather (120)**
– General
– Command Trait: Spirit of Grimnir
– Aspect of the Champion: Tunnel Master
Auric Flamekeeper (90)***
Auric Flamekeeper (90)***
Auric Runesmiter (120)
– Forge Key
– Prayer: Ember Storm
Auric Runemaster (130)
– Artefact: Volatile Brazier
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Curse
Battlesmith (150)***
– Artefact: Nulsidian Icon

Battleline
30 x Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Handaxes (480)*
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Handaxes (160)*
10 x Vulkite Berzerkers with Fyresteel Handaxes (160)*
15 x Hearthguard Berzerkers (450)**
– Poleaxes
– Reinforced x 2

Endless Spells & Invocations
Molten Infernoth (40)

Core Battalions
*Galletian Veterans
**Galletian Command
***Command Entourage – Magnificent

Total: 1990 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 162
Drops: 10

Kevin: With Bounty Hunters out and foot heroes in, there’s a resurgence in non-Magmadroth Fyreslayers. This list abandons the ‘droths entirely for an all-foot list. Its plethora of GCs means it has a solid footing in this season’s tactics.

Andrew’s running Vostarg, the sub-faction for buffing Vulkites, and his six heroes rounding out the leaders are the usual suspects for any Vostarg list, excepting the foot-father. No Fyreslayer can leave home without a Nulsidian Icon Battlesmith for the 4+ spell ignore, and double flamekeeper is basically a must-have for any Vostarg list. Flamekeepers allowing out of phase charging – the combat phase in this case – is absurdly powerful, as is adding damage to the high amount of attacks Vulkites enjoy. The runefather can further pump up those attacks once per game.

In a bit of an oddity for Vostarg, Andrew has added 15x Hearthguard to support his Runefather. This not only gives him some bodyguards, but also some objective holding power that can hit back hard. Those poleaxes’ mortal wounds can rack up fast. Further, with ember storm (prayer to run and charge) and Tunnel Master, the Hearthguard can speed ahead and have the runefather simply teleport to them without fear of them losing their ward or him losing his bodyguard. Tunnel Master can also allow the runefather to position perfectly to share his once-per-game buff with the vulkites. The hearthguard can also be pumped up or charged by the flamekeepers if need be.

The Vulkites do what Vulkites do in any Vostarg list: die while doing damage, pump the flamekeepers, then punch back absurdly hard – either by running and charging or combat-phase-charging. The 30x Vulkite unit will receive buffs excellently as well as Rally’s from the Battlesmith. 30 charging Vulkites with the runefathers and flamekeepers can output, theoretically, 121 attacks of 3 damage (especially with GV battalion allowing them to fight through each other). Those high attack numbers certainly spell trouble for his Nighthaunt opponent. There’s nothing quite as sweet as charging that into an opponent in their combat phase and then activating strike first to wipe out a unit before it gets off its activation. The two units of ten Vulkites can either be deepstriked by the Runesmiter or stay on the field to act as screens, food for the flamekeepers, or objective holders.

The infernoth accomplishes the beautiful Grand Strategy of keeping an invocation on the field while also chasing around Galletian Champions. It can also be used as a poor-man’s fyrewall in some cases, particularly against large bases like Archaon or Mawkrushas.

This list results in the classic Fyreslayer playstyle: a wave of naked dudes with axes that just can’t be removed from objectives. They trade incredibly well with anyone willing to try to remove them in the combat phase, making that route a daunting task. At the same time, shooting is hampered by a 4+ rally under a 6+ ward (5+ ward, occasionally) from the Battlesmith who can not be shot.

Allegiance: Disciples of Tzeentch
– Change Coven: Guild of Summoners
– Grand Strategy: Master of Destiny
– Triumphs: Indomitable

Leaders
Curseling, Eye of Tzeentch (180)*
– General
– Command Trait: Cult Demagogue
– Lore of Fate: Treacherous Bond
– Lore of Fate: Arcane Suggestion
Fluxmaster, Herald of Tzeentch on Disc (170)*
– Universal Spell Lore: Ghost-mist
– Lore of Change: Bolt of Tzeentch
Magister (120)**
– Lore of Fate: Shield of Fate
– Universal Spell Lore: Ghost-mist
– Aspect of the Champion: Tunnel Master
The Blue Scribes (160)**
Fatemaster (140)**
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of Fate: Shield of Fate
– Lore of Fate: Arcane Suggestion

Battleline
10 x Pink Horrors of Tzeentch (250)*
10 x Pink Horrors of Tzeentch (250)*
10 x Tzaangors (180)*
– 10x Pair of Savage Blade
10 x Tzaangors (180)*
– 10x Pair of Savage Blade
10 x Kairic Acolytes (120)*
– 10x Cursed Blade & Arcanite Shield

Endless Spells & Invocations
Chronomantic Cogs (70)
Purple Sun of Shyish (90)
Umbral Spellportal (80)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Command Entourage – Magnificent

Additional Enhancements
Spell

Total: 1990 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 97
Drops: 4

With more chickens than a KFC basket, we have another Guild of Summoners list doing extremely well this weekend. While Kaleb called in the support of a Krondspine to give him time to get those Lords of Change on the board, Stephen goes the more traditional (and pink) tarpit of Horrors to slow his enemy down. Another big change to several other Guild of Summoners lists is that it doesn’t start with a LoC/Kairos on the board at the beginning, allowing more Arcanite casters to be taken instead. This is key, as one way of shutting down a Guild of Summoners list is to kill the mortal characters who the Lords of Change must be summoned through. With three such characters, it’s going to be hard to do that to Stephen’s list.

Once the summoning does get going, the shooty Lord of Change is great here as it’s up to 12 shots, hitting on 3s, wounding on 3s (or 2s if the Fatemaster is nearby), rend -1 BUT if you’re shooting at something in Purple Sun range (helpfully auto-cast by The Blue Scribes) now you’re at rend -2. Have the Curseling use a pair of Destiny Dice to make Arcane Suggestion’s armour debuff be unable to be unbound, suddenly those shots are up to rend -3.

Tzaangors being surrounded by wizards is also a great pick as they’re be doing mortal wounds on 4+ at range, rolling a number of equal to the number of wizards within range, so probably at least 5 dice T1, increasing as the game goes on. Twice. The last troops choice is Kairics, probably there for cheap screening, but get their warscroll spell off and shoot them at the Purple Sunned/Arcane Suggested unit and that’s another 10 rend -3 shots going down range.

All in all, a great take on Guild of Summoners, throwing in a couple of Galletian Champions for battle tactics and being able to quite easily access 4/5 of the Tzeentch specific ones.

Allegiance: Flesh-eater Courts
– Grand Court: Blisterskin
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Abhorrant Archregent (240)*
– Lore of Madness: Deranged Transformation
– Aspect of the Champion: Fuelled by Ghurish Rage
Abhorrant Ghoul King (170)*
– Lore of Madness: Spectral Host
Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Terrorgheist (450)*
– General
– Command Trait: Hellish Orator
– Artefact: Eye of Hysh
– Mount Trait: Gruesome Bite
– Lore of Madness: Bonestorm
Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Zombie Dragon (430)
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon

Battleline
9 x Crypt Flayers (540)**
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Crypt Ghouls (80)**
10 x Crypt Ghouls (80)*

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Galletian Veterans

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1990 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 97
Drops: 7

Discord user: gualtikhan: This list utilizes the full summoning power from the fec Heroes to maximize the number of summons it brings to the table. This adds some mass with which to take the board and pin the opponent off of the objectives. This helps counter the faction’s natural lack of durability as well.

There are some really good spells, mainly a couple of really strong unit buffs (+d3 attacks, +1 attack, 5+ ward, reroll to wound, +1dmg) but fec typically lacks the reliability to cast those often enough. In particular, this list relies on spectral host, combined by the +2 movement of the subfaction, to give the two dragons and the flayers an huge threat range.

Crypt flayers’ ranged attack has big variance but against the right unit can definitely pack a punch. I’m a bit surprised to see arcane tome for an extra unreliable cast instead of the more often taken garland, for -2 bravery, increasing both the efficiency of the scream attacks and the bravery damage.

The aforementioned buffs to damage output synergize really well with the fec command ability to fight twice, allowing one buffed unit to pack some serious damage, and also helping to burst open some bunkers against imperfectly deployed armies.

The teleport is great as it helps with scoring battle tactics and objectives greatly in this edition, and it can be used also to let the flayers scream the right unit at the right time.

All in all this is the best attempt l’ve seen at running Fec, which is a subfaction that is having an hard time right now, having several key units with poor durability and a weakness to alpha strikes, since killing the heroes would prevent their summoning.

Final Tournament Placings

For the full final positions, visit Best Coast Pairings.