Tag Archives: Age of Sigmar Club

Age of Sigmar, Army Lists, Blades of Khorne, Chaos, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Hammers of Sigmar, Lumineth Realm-Lords, Order, Reapers of Vengeance, Stormcast Eternals, The Woehammer Crew, Top three lists, Tournaments, Ymetrica

Top Three AoS Lists for the Shakespeare Invitational 2022

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This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Shakespeare Invitational that took place in the UK on 29th and 30th October. It involved 32 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

Allegiance: Stormcast Eternals
– Stormhost: Hammers of Sigmar (Stormkeep)
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs:

Leaders
Lord-Celestant on Stardrake (500)*
– General
– Celestine Hammer
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Mount Trait: Celestial Instincts
– Spell: Celestial Blades
Celestant-Prime, Hammer of Sigmar (325)*
Slann Starmaster (265)*
– Allies

Battleline
5 x Liberators (115)*
– Heavens-wrought Weapon and Shield
5 x Liberators (115)*
– Heavens-wrought Weapon and Shield
4 x Dracothian Guard Fulminators (460)*
– Reinforced x 1

Units
3 x The Farstriders (90)*

Endless Spells & Invocations
Everblaze Comet (90)
Horrorghast (40)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Additional Enhancements
Holy Command: Call for Aid

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 1 / 4
Allies: 265 / 400
Wounds: 80
Drops: 1

Peter: Owen is one of those players that places consistently well, as proven by the Woehammer player rankings where Owen now sits 10th Worldwide.

Here we’ve got two big hammers in the form of the Lord-Celestant on Stardrake and Celestant-Prime. The latter of which can twiddle his thumbs in reserve until you need him. An allied Slann Starmaster who’s purpose is to dominate the magic phase with its ability to cast three spells and unbind three spells (from anywhere on the table).

What better to protect 1,090 points of heroes than two units of Liberators and some Dracothian Guard Fulminators. The Fulminators can kick out an average of 48 damage before saves which, I might add, are all at rend -2 AND thats without the Lord-Celestant giving them +1 to wound rolls through Celestial Blades….. On top of that each model in the unit (6), has a 50% chance of causing D3 mortals to units within 12″. My assumption is for the Liberators to cap objectives who, because the army is Stormkeep, count as three models each on an objective AND have a 6+ near an objective thanks to being Hammers of Sigmar. Meanwhile the Fulminators ride around smashing face.

The unit of Farstriders can be quite nifty at taking far flung objectives or setting up elsewhere on the battlefield to harass the enemy backlines with chip damage.

We’ll down to Owen for going 5-0!

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Allegiance: Lumineth Realm-lords
– Great Nation: Ymetrica
– Grand Strategy: Alarith Aftershock

Leaders
Alarith Stonemage (120)
– General
– Command Trait: Unyielding Toughness
– Lore of the High Peaks: Unbreakable Stoicism
– Lore of the High Peaks: Living Fissure
Alarith Stonemage (120)
– Artefact: Molten Talisman
– Lore of the High Peaks: Unbreakable Stoicism
– Lore of the High Peaks: Living Fissure
Avalenor, the Stoneheart King (420)***
Scinari Calligrave (115)***
– Lore of Hysh: Speed of Hysh
– Lore of Hysh: Protection of Hysh
Scinari Calligrave (115)***
– Lore of Hysh: Speed of Hysh
– Lore of Hysh: Protection of Hysh

Battleline
15 x Alarith Stoneguard (360)*
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Alarith Stoneguard (240)**
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Alarith Stoneguard (240)**
– Reinforced x 1
5 x Tree-Revenants (110)*
5 x Tree-Revenants (110)*

Endless Spells & Invocations
The Burning Head (20)
Lauchon the Soulseeker (30)

Core Battalions
*Expert Conquerors
**Bounty Hunters
***Command Entourage – Magnificent

Additional Enhancements
Spell

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 126
Drops: 10

Ed: The Alarith models got some tasty buffs in the new Lumineth tome, so it’s not suprising to see a list that leans heavily into those units do well.  In the Ymetrica subfaction everything except the Calligraves and the Tree-Revenents ignore rend of -1 or -2 and since Stoneguard and Avalenor have save characteristics of 4+ and 3+ respectively, they can be tough nuts to crack. They hit pretty hard too and synergize well together too, a wonderful way to build an army if you fancy dipping your toe into those crystal clear Hyshian waters. The Stonemages add crucial support to this list, allowing Avalenor to fight on his top bracket regardless of wounds taken and adding rend to the Stoneguard’s weapons. Having two of them just means that Matthew can spread those buffs around where they are most needed.

“Don’t leave the objective unattended…”

The allied Tree-Revenants are something I’ve been seeing in a lot of lists now that Sylvaneth are a valid ally. As Galetian Veterans who can teleport and pile-in 6″ they make up for the slow pace of all those Stoneguard and open up a lot of creative objective play.  By putting them in Expert conquerors Matthew has 2 adaptive units great for taking advantage of poor positioning and seizing control of objectives without putting his heavy hitters out of position. It’s a great investment for now, but it remains to be seen how valuable they will be when the next GHB drops and the focus moves away from battleline infantry.

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

Leaders
Avalenor, the Stoneheart King (420)
The Light of Eltharion (240)
Archmage Teclis and Celennar, Spirit of Hysh (700)**
Alarith Stonemage (120)**
– General
– Command Trait: Tectonically Attuned
– Artefact: Molten Talisman
– Lore of the High Peaks: Unbreakable Stoicism
Scinari Calligrave (115)**
– Artefact: Silver Wand
– Lore of Hysh: Speed of Hysh

Battleline
5 x Alarith Stoneguard (120)*
– Stone Mallets
5 x Alarith Stoneguard (120)*
– Stone Mallets
5 x Alarith Stoneguard (120)*
– Stone Mallets

Endless Spells & Invocations
Rune of Petrification (40)

Core Battalions
*Expert Conquerors
**Command Entourage – Magnificent

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 79
Drops: 8

Ed: Herohammer at it’s best! A whopping 1,595 points of Shanee’s list is made up of heroes, with only 360 points allocated for the mandatory 3 units of battleline.  Like Matthew, Shanee has gone for Stoneguard in Ymetrica for her infantry units meaning they are extremely defence anvils with decent output. However, to go 4W/1L with such a spartan list attests to Shanee’s skill as a player. There isn’t a lot of room for error when one mistake can cost you a quarter of your list or deny you crucial victory points with so few models on the board to play the objectives.  I would love to have watched over her shoulder during one or two of her games and see her approach.

Teclis obviously provides some of the best magic power in the game, providing a 5+ ward save and a variety of utility options that can change to suit your match up. Also, between his Searing Storm of White Light warscroll spell and the Rune of Petrification this list features a lot of multi-target mortal wound output which will tear through multiple small units or anything without a ward save. Avalenor and Eltharion provides a pair of powerful beat-sticks to clean up anything unlucky enough to find itself stuck to the Stoneguard anvils. Finally the Stonemage and Calligrave are support pieces which synergize well with the rest of the list. While the stonemage keeps Avelenor fighting at his best in tough times, the Calligrave is the perfect steward to sit in the Shrine Luminor in the early game dispensing free command points and casting/unbinding rerolls from atop his floating assault waterfall. Fantasy games are weird.

Drive this floating rock closer, I want to hit them with my stave!
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Allegiance: Khorne
– Slaughterhost: Reapers of Vengeance
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Be’Lakor, the Dark Master (360)
– Allies
Skarbrand (380)
Bloodsecrator (125)**
Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage (280)**
– Artefact: Khartoth the Bloodhunger
Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury (295)
– General
– Command Trait: Mage Eater
– Artefact: Skullshard Mantle
Slaughterpriest (100)**
– Prayer: Blood Sacrifice

Battleline
5 x Flesh Hounds (105)*
5 x Flesh Hounds (105)*
5 x Flesh Hounds (105)**
10 x Bloodreavers (80)*
– Reaver Blades

Endless Spells & Invocations
Hexgorger Skulls (50)

Core Battalions
*Expert Conquerors
**Warlord

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1985 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 360 / 400
Wounds: 107
Drops: 10

Kieron: After getting absolutely demolished by a Boomthirster in a recent game, part of my therapy is to write up the feedback from this wildcard list! This list includes a trio of Bloodthirsters: a Boomthirster that does 4 mortal wounds as AoE damage on each 6 to wound; the angriest Bloodthirster there is, Skarbrand, who will also do a ton of mortal wounds on top of 9 damage 3 attacks; then a third Bloodthirster who allows Daemon units to fight from 6″ away, which synergises well with the Reaper of Vengeance sub-faction Command Ability to fight twice.

Put this all together and you can auto-run the Boomthirster 16″ and then pile in 6″, avoiding Unleash Hell, do up to 20 mortal wounds to all enemy units within 8″…pile in up to another 6″ and then do it again. And all of those mortal wounds are in addition to the D6 damage from the Great Axe of Khorne. Then Skarbrand can attack if there’s anything left alive on the board by this point as the Daemon Weapon Khartoth the Bloodhunger allows the bearer to activate out of sequence at the start of the command phase on a 4+. It is at this point that you give your by now weeping opponent the choice of who to fight with next.

There’s also a Bloodsecrator to give each of those angry red monsters an extra attack and make casting more difficult. The Hexgorger Skulls complement making depending on magic against Khorne a risky business by subtracting 2 from all casts and potentially wiping a spell from a wizard’s mind if not killing them outright. It’s also a prayer, so unless you also have a priest, the only way to get rid of it is to detonate it with one of your casters.

The list also has ready access to the Barge Through Enemy Lines bonus point with its speedy Flesh Hounds and access to summoning through Blood Tithe points and to cap everything else of there is Be’Lakor poised and ready to shut down a unit at a key moment where a battle tactic is at stake.

If an opponent can take out the AoE mortal wound threat early on, they can probably cope with the other threats and the list lost to two Stormcast Eternals lists that had the tools to do exactly that. If not…more Blood for the Blood God!

Final Tournament Placings

Age of Sigmar, Allherd, Army Lists, Beasts of chaos, Chaos, Danny & Peter, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Host of the Everchosen, Order, Seraphon, Slaves to Darkness, thunder Lizard, Top three lists, Tournaments

Top Three AoS Lists for the Quest of Champions – Final

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This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Quest of Champions Final that took place in the UK on 22md and 23rd October. It involved 30 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament.

We have covered all of the previous four heats on Woehammer where players competed for a place in the finals. The system was devised by Dan from the Warrior Lodge in the UK and it makes for great competition each year. If you want to catch up on the games, the event was covered by Dice and Ducks on their YouTube channel.

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

Allegiance: Beasts of Chaos
– Greatfray: Gavespawn
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Beastlord (95)*
– Artefact: Mutating Gnarlblade
Dragon Ogor Shaggoth (155)*
– General
– Command Trait: Unravelling Aura
– Lore of Dark Storms: Sundering Blades
Dragon Ogor Shaggoth (155)****
– Lore of Dark Storms: Hailstorm
Great Bray-Shaman (100)****
– Lore of the Twisted Wilds: Savage Dominion

Battleline
6 x Dragon Ogors (250)***
– 3x Paired Ancient Weapons
– 3x Draconic War glaives
– Reinforced x 1
6 x Dragon Ogors (250)***
– 3x Paired Ancient Weapons
– 3x Draconic War glaives
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Ungors (65)**
– Mauls & Half-Shields
10 x Ungors (65)**
– Mauls & Half-Shields
10 x Ungors (65)**
– Mauls & Half-Shields

Units
5 x Centigors (85)*
5 x Centigors (85)****
20 x Bestigors (250)***
– Reinforced x 1
1 x Mindstealer Sphiranx (95)*

Behemoths
Jabberslythe (150)*
Cygor (125)****

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Expert Conquerors
***Bounty Hunters
****Battle Regiment

Total: 1990 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 3 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 194
Drops: 8

Danny: Freddie Leggett has a point to prove – and that point is ‘nerf Beasts’. The man even admitted himself after this event – his 3rd 5-0 with BoC in the self-proclaimed ‘Cygor meta’ – and far as we know, his wish is about to be granted… but in the meantime, you gotta take your hat off to the guy for running quite so rampant.

Beasts have a few things going for them. Not least of which is sheer numbers and efficiency. Dragon Ogors are just a brutally good hammer for their points – and in true 2nd edition fashion the Shaggoth allows them to re-roll 1s to hit, making their high volume of attacks uber reliable.

Ungors are fairly bad, but at 65 pts they’re one of the cheapest screens/battleline taxes going – they also make excellent Herdstone fodder, meaning a cheap way to rack up plenty of summoning points. Whereas Bestigors and Centigors fill out the niches of speed and slow good quality of attacks on a 4+ respectively.

The techy-cherry on top of this swarm is the two monsters, who each gain a unique monstrous action. The Cygor can try for an endless spell dispel – and if successful heal itself equal to the roll, making itself particularly tanky in this spell heavy meta. Whereas the Jabber can worsen the save of an enemy hero by 1 on a 2-5 or 2 on a 6 until the following combat phase – meaning even rend 1 weapons can utterly melt a priority target. Meanwhile the Mindstealer Sphiranx has a good chance of making something fight last.

It’s all tied together by the just all round great enhancements of Gavespawn. No one thing is particularly frightening on its own but the combined offensive weight and significant numbers of summoned models just tend to utterly overwhelm and establish massive board presence.

Good point, well made Freddie – time to put BoC out to pasture!

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Allegiance: Slaves to Darkness
– Damned Legion: Host of the Everchosen (Sixth Circle)
– Grand Strategy: Defend What’s Ours
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Archaon the Everchosen (860)*
– Aura of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Spell: Call to Glory
Chaos Lord (120)*
– Reaperblade & Daemonbound Steel
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
Chaos Sorcerer Lord (135)*
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Spell: Mask of Darkness

Battleline
3 x Varanguard (280)*
– Ensorcelled Weapon and Warpsteel Shield
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
3 x Varanguard (280)*
– Ensorcelled Weapon and Warpsteel Shield
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
8 x Iron Golems (75)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
8 x Iron Golems (75)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
8 x Iron Golems (75)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch

Units
1 x Mindstealer Sphiranx (95)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 96
Drops: 2

Danny: With leaks of the new tome flooding the interwebs and the current Tome languishing at the bottom of the win-rate pile, Toby Meadows drops this bombshell on us – a 2nd place Archaon list! To be fair, it’s not a huge deviation from pretty much the only viable Slaves build at the moment.

Archaon is a big, tanky-ass utility provider, who is himself supported by the two lords for more buffs than you can shake a stick at. His role is usually as a super hard to shift distraction carnifex who can roll smaller units, making him a tricky tactical proposition. Meanwhile, 2 squads of Tzeentch marked Varanguard – meaning they’re re-rolling 1s to save on a nat 3+, and doing +1 damage in the 6th circle – act as twin hammers. 3 squads of super-bargain Iron Golems work on the board and objective control game – they hit more like pillow golems, but they’re a super cheap source of wounds on a 4+ with a natural +1 if they didn’t move.

And that cheeky kitty shows up again for the fight last shenanigans!

Big kudos to Toby as this list, while strong, is definitely suffering from being behind the times overall and takes a great degree of tactical acumen to pilot well. Losing only to the insane volume of attacks and bodies of 1st place Freddie is a great achievement.

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Allegiance: Seraphon
– Constellation: Thunder Lizard
– Grand Strategy: Continuous Expansion
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Slann Starmaster (265)**
– General
– Command Trait: Arcane Might
– Spell: Stellar Tempest
Engine of the Gods (265)****
– Artefact: Incandescent Rectrices
– Mount Trait: Beastmaster
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Curse
Skink Starpriest (130)**
– Artefact: Fusil of Conflaguration
– Spell: Hand of Glory
Skink Priest (90)**
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Heal

Battleline
10 x Saurus Knights (220)*
– Lances
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Skinks (75)***
– Boltspitters Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers
10 x Skinks (75)***
– Boltspitters Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers

Units
2 x Salamander Hunting Pack (280)*
– Reinforced x 1

Behemoths
Bastiladon with Solar Engine (250)****
Bastiladon with Solar Engine (250)****

Endless Spells & Invocations
Purple Sun of Shyish (90)

Core Battalions
*Bounty Hunters
**Command Entourage – Magnificent
***Expert Conquerors
****Linebreaker

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1990 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 100
Drops: 10

Danny: It’s Mike Stewart. It’s Seraphon. It’s double Bastiladons with a Purple Sun. And even that couldn’t beat Freddie. Ok i’ll throw you a bone if you’re not familiar with Seraphon lists – Slann provides magical domination, the Bastiladons can be buffed to re-roll 1s, have +1 to hit and do additional mortals on 6s. If the Engine manages to get Curse off on something (6s to hit do mws) and the Sun is nearby to make each shot rend 2 – and in Thunder Lizards, one of them can use a command ability to firre twice…it’s gonna burn. And Beasts still beat it.

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

Leaders
Abhorrant Archregent (245)***
– Artefact: The Dermal Robe
– Lore of Madness: Spectral Host
Abhorrant Ghoul King (165)***
– Lore of Madness: Miasmal Shroud
Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Terrorgheist (445)**
– Mount Trait: Gruesome Bite
– Lore of Madness: Blood Feast
Abhorrant Ghoul King on Royal Zombie Dragon (430)***
– General
– Command Trait: Savage Chivalry
– Artefact: Decrepit Coronet
– Mount Trait: Razor-clawed
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon
Crypt Ghast Courtier (70)**
Crypt Ghast Courtier (70)**

Battleline
30 x Crypt Ghouls (255)*
– Reinforced x 2
20 x Crypt Ghouls (170)*
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Crypt Ghouls (85)***

Endless Spells & Invocations
Chronomantic Cogs (40)

Core Battalions
*Bounty Hunters
**Command Entourage – Magnificent
***Warlord

Additional Enhancements
Artefact
Mount Trait

Total: 1975 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 3 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 109
Drops: 9

Danny: So, FEC aren’t eating good these days – so 6th place is a big achievement and sure to score highly on our Woehammer scoring system. This is really a ‘ghouls for days’ list – each of those ghoul squads can come back on a 4+ … as many times as you like! They’re underwhelming in general but with bounty hunters can still bring the weight of dice pain, and if you roll well can represent a fairly overwhelming amount of board control over the game. Backed up by the King on ‘Gheist and his well known spike damage potential, plus a slightly less royal zombie dragon, it’s a classic ‘swamp and chomp’ (yes I just coined that term) list that must have scored fantastically to end 6th with 3-1-1.

Well done to Tom, and please, James Workshop, for the love of all that’s unholy give this faction some new models and rules.

Final Tournament Placings

Age of Sigmar, Army Lists, Blessed Sons, Bloodtoofs, Chaos, Death, Destruction, Fangs of Sotek, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Ironjawz, Maggotkin of Nurgle, Nighthaunt, Order, Orruk Warclans, Peter & Brett, Seraphon, The Scarlet Doom, Top three lists, Tournaments

Top Three AoS Lists for Nashcon GT 2022

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This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Nashcon GT that took place in the USA on 20th and 21st August. It involved 32 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament.

The format for this event was slightly different, in that every player built two lists and chose which of their lists to use based on the opponent before the round began. To keep this article short, we’re analysing their first lists only and the opponent’s first list has been used when showing their path through the 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

Allegiance: Seraphon
– Constellation: Fangs of Sotek
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Slann Starmaster (265)***
– General
– Command Trait: Arcane Might
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Spell: Stellar Tempest
Skink Starpriest (130)*
– Spell: Hand of Glory
Skink Priest (90)*
– Universal Prayer Scripture: Curse
Saurus Astrolith Bearer (140)*
– Artefact: Serpent God Dagger

Battleline
10 x Skinks (75)**
– Boltspitters Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers
10 x Skinks (75)**
– Boltspitters Celestite Daggers & Star Bucklers
30 x Skinks (225)**
– Boltspitters & Moonstone Clubs
– Reinforced x 2
5 x Saurus Guard (115)*

Units
2 x Salamander Hunting Pack (280)***
– Reinforced x 1
2 x Salamander Hunting Pack (280)***
– Reinforced x 1

Behemoths
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)***

Endless Spells & Invocations
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)
Horrorghast (40)

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Expert Conquerors
***Battle Regiment

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1950 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 116
Drops: 8

Danny: Who can stop Ridge Hanna? The Season of War vet is a died in the wool Seraphon expert, and his Fangs of Sotek list is the one to beat.

We’ve covered it before, and no doubt we’ll be forced to cover it again… but on the off-chance you’re new to it, here’s how it works.

Unlike Thunder Lizard, who’re all about big beasties and Scaly Skin for the -1 damage, Fangs is all about tricksy movement and summoning. Units are able to come down from reserves near a Slann, and one unit per turn can teleport – this makes the Salamanders – free from giving up extra points since the latest GHB – a tactical nuke who can safely materialise near an enemy threat and nuke them. God forbid if they make the charge too.

Meanwhile, all the skinks have a small pre-game move for grabbing objectives, and can run away after unleashing hell on a 4+ once charged, meaning most of the time they’re incredibly hard to pin down – and with the buffs the various Skink heroes can throw out, they can end up doing serious damage too.

The reason the Slann has Arcane Tome is because of the Coalesced summoning mechanic – using up a spell slot grants an additional d3 summoning points, so the Tome allows him to rack those up and still use his super valuable normal spells into the bargain. On average, Ridge should be able to summon two more salamanders into the fray, or if, for some reason, he’s struggling with objective, a whole load more skinks.

A techy, frustrating to pin down list with some real teeth that proves Seraphon are far from a one trick-dinopony.

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Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
– Subfaction: Blessed Sons
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Lord of Afflictions (210)*
– General
– Command Trait: Overpowering Stench
– Artefact: Arcane Tome
– Lore of Malignance: Rancid Visitations
Bloab Rotspawned (300)*
– Lore of Malignance: Gift of Disease
Orghotts Daemonspew (300)

Battleline
10 x Plaguebearers (150)**
10 x Plaguebearers (150)**
5 x Putrid Blightkings (250)**
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)***
– 1x Dolorous Tocsin

Units
3 x Plague Drones (200)***
1 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (110)*
1 x Mindstealer Sphiranx (95)*
– Allies

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Expert Conquerors
***Bounty Hunters

Total: 1985 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 95 / 400
Wounds: 143
Drops: 7

Ethan: Writing analysis of this feels a bit like cheating. For those not in the know, Tyler Emerson is one of the illustrious regular guests of Vince Venturella of Warhammer Weekly and “being considerably better than ok at painting” fame. Tyler spoke about his list on their most recent show, make sure to check it out if you’re after a more in-depth dive!

Getting to it, there are a fair few elements of this list setting it apart from the drone spam we’ve all come over time to know and resent. Blessed sons provides a nice platform for a mixed arms list employing more of Nurgle’s toolkit than we’re perhaps used to. The Lord of afflictions eschews the usual splithorn helm, sacrificing some resilience in exchange for rancid visitations, one of the best anti-horde spells in the game though, without other casting support, this is by no means consistent. The two Maggoth lords are incredibly strong pieces, providing all the usual benefits of behemoth-lords with Nurgle resilience and a small amount of spell-dom play, or great combat play. Combined these two give the list a capacity to play broadly across the map with the core of the list holding one flank while the creatively named heroes hold the other.

Plaguebearers and Blightkings form a durable core for holding objectives and placing them in Expert Conquerors makes retaking objectives a real commitment from the opponent while the Plague drones and Pusgoyles in a Bounty Hunter Battalion provide a mobile cav hammer which hits hard and takes a hit well in return. The two really interesting pieces of tech taken by Tyler in this list are the Mindstealer Sphiranx which has an ability to make enemies fight last, winning him at least one game singlehandedly, per his view. The other is his Battalions, he’s taken an “all the toys” approach to his regular units but has eschewed the usually accompanying Command Entourage/Warlord in favour of a Battle regiment to lower his drops. This isn’t going to give him priority vs anyone taking a Battle Regiment+ setup but does ensure he outdrops anyone taking the abovementioned Entourage or Warlord. Very clever decision making here.

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Allegiance: Nighthaunt
– Procession: Scarlet Doom
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
– Triumphs:

Leaders
Guardian of Souls (150)*
– Artefact: Midnight Tome
– Lore of the Underworlds: Seal of Shyish
Krulghast Cruciator (150)*
Spirit Torment (115)*
Spirit Torment (115)
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of the Underworlds: Shademist

Units
20 x Bladegheist Revenants (350)**
– Reinforced x 1
20 x Bladegheist Revenants (350)**
– Reinforced x 1
9 x Spirit Hosts (375)***
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Chainrasps (110)***
10 x Chainrasps (110)***
4 x Myrmourn Banshees (105)**

Endless Spells
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

Core Battalions
*Command Entourage – Magnificent
**Bounty Hunters
***Expert Conquerors

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 112
Drops: 10

Ethan: Nate Trentanelli has proven he can win with a variety of armies and so it is only fitting that he see success with current meta darling, Nighthaunt. This list relies on a central castle built around the Krulghast Cruciator and it’s aura of -1 damage. Throw in Shademist (-1 to wound) and Seal of Shyish (5+ ward save) and all of a sudden your charge-heavy, mortal wound spamming Nighthaunt units are a brick that the opponent will struggle to displace. This kind of list sees great success in the current GHB as it has the versatility to play for multiple areas of the board or, as many current battleplans demand, meet your opponent in the middle and win the brawl for objective scoring. Nate has run the increasingly prevalent triple battalion of Expert Conquerors, Bounty Hunters and Command Entourage meaning he’s capturing better than you with his durable units, hitting hard on your units designed to do the same, and has access to the tools required to build and maintain this kind of board presence.

Also worth noting in this list is the Midnight tome – Purple Sun combination, guaranteeing the purple sun will come out for the Nighthaunt. Nighthaunt don’t mind losing a ghost or two when they’re bringing back d6 + d3 per round and their unmodifiable saves form a perfect combination with the sun. Myrmournes provide a brutal capstone on this, giving an additional chance to unbind any spell or endless spell affecting the area nearby. In combination, your opponent is far less likely to affect the board state with their magic while you have utter certainty that your sun is coming out at a crucial moment, creating a brutal momentum swing.

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Allegiance: Soulblight Gravelords
– Lineage: Kastelai Dynasty
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Coven Throne (290)
– General
– Command Trait: Rousing Commander
– Artefact: Fragment of the Keep
– Lore of the Vampires: Amethystine Pinions
Neferata, Mortarch of Blood (365)*
– Lore of the Deathmages: Fading Vigour
Vampire Lord (140)*
– Artefact: Grave-sand Shard
Watch Captain Halgrim (80)*

Battleline
10 x Blood Knights (390)***
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Deathrattle Skeletons (80)**
10 x Deathrattle Skeletons (80)**
10 x Deathrattle Skeletons (80)**

Units
5 x Black Knights (100)
5 x Black Knights (100)*
20 x Grave Guard (280)***
– Great Wight Blades
– Reinforced x 1

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Expert Conquerors
***Bounty Hunters

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1985 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 134
Drops: 11

Danny: Soulblight are slowly settling into their new competitive bracket of ‘close but no cigar’, it seems – the cool thing is, the breadth and relative internal balance of the book means that there’s plenty of variety between contenders.

This list is a nice, thematic looking balance of stuff, wrapped in Kastelai, which is edging out the others as Lineage of choice due to the strong selection of artifacts/command traits, the ability to make the excellent Blood Knights battleline, and the sub-faction trait that gives vampire units permanent, stacking buffs depending on what kind of unit they kill.

The Coven Throne is often a lynchpin of Kastelai lists, mainly due to its command ability, offering one unit +1 hit, wound _and_ save. Pretty bonkers value for 1CP although you are paying a fair whack of points for it, given it doesn’t do a huge amount else. Neferata is also starting to challenge Mannfred as Mortarch of choice due to her spell to make a unit unrendable – dicey in the current magic-dominance meta, but when it does go off, combined with the above…you can imagine the shenanigans. She’s also a decent, mobile beatstick in her own right and has a dagger with a chance to auto-kill a unit if it inflicts wounds that aren’t saved, so she’s an excellent mind-warfare pick.

Watch Captain Halgrim might look like an odd and rare pick, and he is – but he offers up to 3 skellies (and the list takes all 3, conveniently) a 4″ ‘auto-run’ for 1 CP, which is a good way of guaranteeing they get up the board together.

Outside of that is standard but useful fair – the currently ever-present 20 Graveguard brick who are also an excellent recipient of the Coven Throne’s CA, and 2 units of Black Knights who are cheap, fast, and summonable – meaning they can start in grave sites.

A nicely mostly-mounted list with a few tricks up its raggedy sleeves that clearly works!

Final Tournament Placings (Top 32)

Age of Sigmar, Allherd, Army Lists, Beasts of chaos, Chaos, Death, Drowned Men, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Hallowed Knights, Maggotkin of Nurgle, Nighthaunt, Order, Peter & Brett, Stormcast Eternals, The Scarlet Doom, Top three lists, Tournaments

Top Three AoS Lists for Kings in the North

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This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Kings in the North Grand Tournament, the northernmost Warhammer Tournament, that took place in Tromso, Norway on 13 and 14 August. It involved 31 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament. I had to do a bit of research because I didn’t know where Troms og Finnmark was, I knew the separate counties but not that they’d been joined. And having just found it I’ve discovered they are going to separate it all over again, I wonder if I can make it over there before it happens.

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

Allegiance: Nighthaunt
– Procession: Scarlet Doom
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Indomitable

Leaders
Guardian of Souls (150)***
– Artefact: Midnight Tome
– Lore of the Underworlds: Shademist
Krulghast Cruciator (150)***
Spirit Torment (115)***
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of the Underworlds: Seal of Shyish

Battleline
30 x Bladegheist Revenants (525)*
– Reinforced x 2
30 x Bladegheist Revenants (525)*
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Chainrasps (110)**
10 x Chainrasps (110)**
3 x Spirit Hosts (125)**

Units
3 x Fell Bats (75)***

Endless Spells & Invocations
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

Core Battalions
*Bounty Hunters
**Expert Conquerors
***Warlord

Total: 1955 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 114
Drops: 9

Brett: I’m running a little late this week so I am going to keep this shorter than normal (or try to). First up we have travelled to Tromso in Norway for Kings in the North which claims to be the most Northerly Tournament in the world. And now I want to go. No one went 5/0, Ben winning with a 4 wins and a draw. The list was similar to a few we’ve seen do well recently for Nighthaunt. The normal 3 heroes with Krulghast (-1 damage), Guardian and Spirit Torment for spells and returning models. Making the Spirit Torment General is a little unusual, Master of Magic is really good and having that reroll every round is very good. Acrane Tome to make the Spirit a wizard so 2 spells and 2 unbinds/dispels. The spells and artefacts all check out.

Running 2 x 30 blocks of Bladegheist is also unusual and difficult to cover with the heroes in this list. Normally lists sacrifice some of the hammer unit to get heroes that can buff them. It’s hard to overstate how devestating those 30 strong units are with 90 to 120 attacks. Rend isn’t important with that many dice. Chainrasps and Spirit Hosts are Eternal Conquerers – I don’t think enough people have been using them enough, it can be risky but paid off here. The Fell Bats are a great move, they replace Hexwraiths as a super fast unit to grab an objective or harrass a unit or even screen/block. Very useful to have in any list.

Take notice of the Grand Strategy – I don’t know how many times it was scored but it means Ben was looking to kill all of your Battleline every time. Really top notch performance in an interesting tournament and good to see some changes to a solid list.

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Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
– Subfaction: Drowned Men
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Be’Lakor, the Dark Master (360)
Bloab Rotspawned (300)*
– Lore of Malignance: Gift of Disease
Lord of Afflictions (210)*
– General
– Command Trait: Overpowering Stench
– Artefact: The Splithorn Helm

Battleline
4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)**
– Reinforced x 1
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)**
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*
2 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (220)*

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Bounty Hunters

Total: 1970 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 1 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 115
Drops: 4

Brett: Nurgle, loaded up with Blightlords and 3 big baddies, this is not a list to make friends but is brutally efficient. Drowned Men for an 8″ pre-game move and resonable casting with Bloab and Be’Lakor giving 3 casts. This list is meant to make things very difficult. It’s generally a good idea to focus fire as much as possible but there are 2 units (Bloab and Be’Lakor) that need to be focused but which do you take first. Chip damage isn’t effective against Be’Lakor if he can kill things near him. And both are mobile, for very elite armies that can be a problem if they split their focus. The Blightlords are capable of independent action as well, the combination makes it hard for an opponent to deny Battle Tactics.

His one loss was to a Beasts of Chaos Dragon Ogre army. Big chunky beasts that can absorb the disease mortals and hit back hard enough to over come the save, wounds and wards of the Blightlords (or Be’Lakor). This is another great army that is seeing a lot of play for good reasons. It’s also interesting to play with mobility and output.

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Allegiance: Beasts of Chaos
– Greatfray: Allherd
– Grand Strategy: Protect the Herdstone
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Great Bray-Shaman (100)*
– Lore of the Twisted Wilds: Vicious Stranglethorns
Dragon Ogor Shaggoth (155)*
– General
– Command Trait: Dominator
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of Dark Storms: Sundering Blades
Tzaangor Shaman of Beasts of Chaos (135)*
– Artefact: Blade of the Desecrator
– Lore of the Twisted Wilds: Tendrils of Atrophy

Battleline
10 x Ungors (65)***
– Mauls & Half-Shields
10 x Ungors (65)***
– Mauls & Half-Shields
6 x Dragon Ogors (250)*
– 3x Paired Ancient Weapons
– 3x Draconic War glaives
– Reinforced x 1
6 x Dragon Ogors (250)**
– 3x Paired Ancient Weapons
– 3x Draconic War glaives
– Reinforced x 1
3 x Dragon Ogors (125)*
– 3x Paired Ancient Weapons

Units
6 x Tzaangor Enlightened on Disc of Beasts of Chaos (360)**
– Reinforced x 1
6 x Tzaangor Enlightened on Disc of Beasts of Chaos (360)**
– Reinforced x 1

Endless Spells & Invocations
Chronomantic Cogs (40)
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Bounty Hunters
***Expert Conquerors

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1975 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 164
Drops: 10

Brett: Beasts of Chaos have seen a strong return to the competitive scene, King in the North included several armies. A few people don’t like the older models that make up the bulk of hte army but they are fairly unique and dynamic. The Herdstone isn’t shown but I’ll assume it was part of the army. All of the leaders are wizards (3 casts/dispels), beyond their interesting warscroll spells they debuff opponent’s saves, increase rend and do mortal wounds. He’s taken Chronomantic Cogs for rerolls to clutch spells or dispels (one per turn), since none of the wizards have bonuses to cast. The Dragon Ogre units are durable and mobile bringing a lot of potential damage with them as well.

The Tzaangor have extreme mobility (16″ and fly) and reasonable attacks. Sticking to the interesting warscrolls of previous editions though they have a special moral rule that means they lose an extra model if they fail moral. They gain a reroll to hit and wound rolls if they attack after an enemy unit within 3″ attacks first. Risky with a bravery of 6. The Ungors are cheap screens but contribute to the 164 wounds this army brings. In a meta where 100pt armies are the midpoint the is something to be said for bringing a lot of additional wounds. As an army that brings good quality attacks with amazing rend it’s not surprising when they struggle into an army that switches off rend (Nighthaunt).

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Army Faction: Stormcast Eternals
– Army Type: Scions of the Storm
– Subfaction: Hallowed Knights
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance

LEADERS
Gardus Steel Soul (150)**
Runelord (95)**
Knight-Relictor (140)**
– General
– Command Traits: High Priest
– Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome
– Spells: Celestial Blades
– Prayers: Translocation
Battlemage (100)***

BATTLELINE
Vanquishers (125)*
Liberators (115)**
– Liberator-Prime
– Grandweapon
– Heavens-wrought Weapon and Sigmarite Shield
Liberators (115)***
– Liberator-Prime
– Grandweapon
– Heavens-wrought Weapon and Sigmarite
Shield

OTHER
Protectors (450)*
Stormstrike Chariot (165)*
– Stormstrike Axe and Tempestuous Spear
Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)***
Vanguard-Raptors with Longstrike Crossbows (240)***
Aetherwings (65)***

CORE BATTALIONS
*Bounty Hunters
**Warlord
***Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: 2000/2000

Brett: There were quite a few Stormcast armies in the event, this was the highest placed. As a faction it remains one of the most played although maybe only middling power. People play a wide range of subfactions which is in contrast to most other factions. This is an interesting take, Hallowed Knights to make Gardus a thing. He provides 5+ ward to Hallowed Knight units. I’m assuming that Gardus would stay near the Protectors, they move slowly enough to make it worthwhile. Otherwise the mages are Cities units, the Battlemage is here for his Realm spell – Wildform – that gives +2 to run and charge. The Knight Relictor is taken over the Lord, the rank difference doesn’t apply to Prayers so that’s 5 points saved. However the Knight doesn’t have +1 to chants that the Lord does.

The choice of Hallowed Knights makes it harder to achieve battleline. Liberators are cheap screens, objective holders but they are very vunerable to Bounty Hunters. The Vanquishers have the same stateline as the Liberators without the shield but they gain attacks from the size of the unit they face (up to 4 attacks into a unit of 10). Unreinforced Raptors with Longstrikes – suggests that the Holy Command is Thunderbolt Volley. Aetherwings give +1 to hit a unit within 12″ to the Raptors. A lot of variety but outside of the Chariot and Aetherwings there is little mobility and that may have cost Simen.

Final Tournament Placings

Age of Sigmar, Army Lists, Chaos, Daughters of Khaine, Death, Drowned Men, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Maggotkin of Nurgle, Nighthaunt, Order, Peter & Brett, Quicksilver Dead, Soulblight Gravelords, Top three lists, Tournaments, Vyrkos Dynasty, Zainthar Kai

Harambe’s Heroes and Goldmine Games Rumble In The Jungle

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This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Harambe’s Heroes and Goldmine Games Rumble in the Jungle held in Richmond, Texas, USA on 6th and 7th of August. It involved 28 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

Allegiance: Daughters of Khaine
– Temple: Zainthar Kai
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: Bloodthirsty Zealots
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
The Shadow Queen (340)*
Morathi-Khaine (340)*
Bloodwrack Medusa (130)*
– General
– Command Trait: Zealous Orator
– Artefact: Crown of Woe
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon

Battleline
15 x Blood Stalkers (540)*
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Blood Sisters (280)*
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Witch Aelves (115)*
– Sacrificial Knives and Blade Bucklers

Units
5 x Khinerai Heartrenders (95)*
5 x Khinerai Heartrenders (95)*

Endless Spells & Invocations
Chronomantic Cogs (40)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 1975 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 3 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 94
Drops: 1

Brett: Another strong showing from Daughters of Khaine, with all the sisters in the one army. This is a hardcore shooting list with solid melee and fast movers for grabbing objectives/completing battle tactics.The Grand Strategy indicates all strategies and battle tactics were in play.

The Bloodwrack Medusa has girded herself for war with Crown of Woe and Flaming Weapon but I don’t think you want her in combat with 6 wounds and a 6+ save. She serves as a totem for the Sisters and Stalkers though advancing Blood Rites and potentially allowing Turn 1 charges. A double reinforced Blood Stalker unit and a reinforce Blood Sister unit are the damage dealers and will take some moving. The Witch Aelves are a screening unit early on and a combat threat in their own right although this list doesn’t offer a lot of buffs for them.

DoK isn’t thought of as a casting army but casting is really important to them, elite and squishy they need to either max their damage or minimist blowback. They achieve that through their spells, Chronomatic Cogs is a good choice for reliability to things like Zealous Orator (rally on a 4+) or Mindrazor. Rember that Morathi knows the entire spell lore. Not much more to say really, it’s an effective and efficient way to go into a tournament. So long as you can choose your combats it should go fairly well. During his run Gavin took down 2 very different Nighthaunt armies and Maggotkin (including 2nd and 3rd). Solid effort and demonstrating the depth in the new DoK book.

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Army Faction: Nighthaunt
– Army Subfaction: The Quicksilver Dead
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

LEADER
1 x Krulghast Cruciator (150)***
– Artefacts: Arcane Tome
– Spells: Seal of Shyish
1 x Spirit Torment (115)***
1 x Spirit Torment (115)***
1 x Guardian of Souls (150)***
– General
– Command Traits: Master of Magic
– Chill Blade
– Artefacts: Midnight Tome
– Spells: Shademist

BATTLELINE
5 x Hexwraiths (160)*
20 x Dreadscythe Harridans (320)*
20 x Dreadscythe Harridans (320)*
3 x Spirit Hosts (125)**
10 x Dreadscythe Harridans (160)**
10 x Chainrasps (110)**

ENDLESS SPELL
1 x Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

OTHER
4 x Myrmourn Banshees (105)***
2 x Chainghasts (95)***

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

TOTAL POINTS: (1995/2000)

Brett: An interesting Nighthaunt list focusing on Harridans this time, I almost this army had taken the tournament. We’ve gotten used to Scarlet Doom as the most popular procession choice closely followed by Emerald Host (also the most popular in late AoS2.0) so Quicksilver is an unusual choice. Beyond making Harridan’s battleline it turns off ward save’s for anything hit by a Harridan. Harridan’s have no rend but do come with 4 attacks each. In Bounty Hunters for the larger units.

Taking that further, you always want to be attacking with the Hexwraiths or smaller Harridan unit first. When attacking a unit with wounds or slain models they drop from 4s to 3s to hit and wound. Otherwise the army is much the same as we are seeing from Nighthaunt players at the moment with 4 small heroes (Kruleghast, Spirit Host and Guardian of Souls), Hexwraith for oppurtunistic actions, a leavening of Spirit Hosts and Myrmourn for body guarding and dispells. The army does include Chainghasts, which aren’t a frequent inclusion. They provide Nighthaunt units with an additional attack within 12″ of them.

It would take careful positioning and awareness of where any ranged units are but it should be possible for both 20 model blocks of Harridans to be putting out 101 attacks. Even without rend that’s 60 damage on average into a Galletian Veteran unit (any battleline) with a 4+ save. That was a pretty effective combination on the weekend removing Thunder Lizard and Big Waagh armies but Gavin’s Blood Stalkers proved too much. They have the capacity to remove the 20 x Harridan block in a single turn and the Blood Sisters could do the same. Good to see some variation in Nighthaunt lists and for being different paying off. Kel’s more patient than me – I’ve only ever managed to build 4 Harridans. And I got all this way without mentioning the Purple Sun.

Allegiance: Maggotkin of Nurgle
– Subfaction: Drowned Men
– Mortal Realm: Ghyran
– Grand Strategy: Blessed Desecration
– Triumphs: Indomitable

Leaders
Bloab Rotspawned (300)
– Lore of Malignance: Rancid Visitations
Lord of Afflictions (210)**
– General
– Command Trait: Overpowering Stench
– Artefact: The Splithorn Helm

Battleline
4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)*
– Reinforced x 1
4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)*
– Reinforced x 1
4 x Pusgoyle Blightlords (440)*
– Reinforced x 1

Units
1 x Pusgoyle Blightlords – Single (110)**

Endless Spells & Invocations
Ravenak’s Gnashing Jaws (60)

Core Battalions
*Bounty Hunters
**Vanguard

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 3 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 124
Drops: 6

Brett: Maggotkin are very popular at the moment, interesting mechanics in even a simple build that isn’t going to tax you too much in how to play it. Interesting army in taking that extra Blightlord and only leaving enough for Gnashing Jaws, except that’s a pretty awesome spell. Rolling with 3 blocks of 4 Blightlords is an interesting idea as well, giving you a very durable block of hard to shift and damaging both to be near and also via their 44 attacks.

Using the larger unit groups limits mobility, you need to tie a few of the big units down to hold objectives or score no primary points. That means you also probably lose their MW on charges as well. All of those big blocks are in Bounty Hunters just to up that damage a lot more. Playing the army should be pretty straight forward and vary with the number of objectives. The single Blightlord is probably going to camp on a home objective while one or 2 of the large units hold another one or 2 objectives. That’s pretty intimidating unless you have ranged units to deal with them. The spell selection includes Rancid Visitations (short range MW spells) which isn’t as common at the moment and might surprise someone.

This is a popular army because this works, 4/1 in a strong field is a good effort only losing to the eventual winner. Well done and good work doing it a little differently.

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Army Faction: Soulblight Gravelords
– Army Type: Vyrkos Dynasty
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
– Triumphs: Inspired

LEADER
1 x Vengorian Lord (280)
– General
– Command Traits: Driven by Deathstench
– Artefacts: Cloak of the Night Prowler
– Spells: Amethystine Pinions, Invigorating Aura
1 x Belladamma Volga (200)***
– Spells: Spirit Gale
1 x Radukar the Beast (315)***
1 x Necromancer (125)***
– Artefacts: Arcane Tome
– Spells: Fading Vigour, Invigorating Aura

BATTLELINE
10 x Dire Wolves (135)**
– Doom Wolf
40 x Deadwalker Zombies (240)**
10 x Dire Wolves (135)**
– Doom Wolf

ENDLESS SPELL
1 x The Burning Head (20)

OTHER
3 x Vargheists (155)*
– Vargoyle
5 x Blood Knights (195)*
– Kastellan
– Standard Bearer
5 x Blood Knights (195)*
– Standard Bearer
– Kastellan

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Bounty Hunters
**Expert Conquerors
***Command Entourage – Magnificent

TOTAL POINTS: (1995/2000)

Brett: In 6th we had an interesting Soulblight army, an army I’m seeing in top 10s a fair bit but not quite getting to the top. In this case he came back from losing his first 2 rounds and won the last three with good scores. All of the battleline are in Expert Conquerors and the mobile units in Bounty Hunters. Back to the battleline it’s an interesting set up, as Conquerors those Zombies count as 120 on objectives. Combining that with the Dire Wolves is a strong move, they can act as independent operatives and still give up to 30 on an objective. Great for stealing something important with their speed.

The Soulblight book is a little bloated at the moment and they have a lot of heroes, they rival Stormcast. For opponents it’s hard to keep track of all of the abilities. Since most (not the Necromancer) of the heroes in this army are vampires they have high mobility (Radukar only has 8″). They combine spells with reasonable combat meaning that there are a lot of threats to keep track of. And that’s without the Blood Knights and Vargheists. I know that both seem to underperform but really this army is quite aggressive. The Zombies can castle on something near the centre and out wait you. Attacking them may just strengthen them and unless you can do a lot of damage you aren’t going to shift them. That leave the wolves free to control other objectives and the Heroes to act as trading pieces.

Not an easy army to play and tracking all of the mobile elements is hard. Effective though and well done on bouncing back after losing to the Fyreslayers and Skaven. The Fyreslayers had 3 magmadroths which are hard to counter in this army and Skaven brought a Doomwheel and 2 Warp Cannons. If those roll well the Zombies are going to disapper and Thanquol or a Verminlord can deal with any of the heroes in this list. 3/2 is a good result with an off meta list and it’s good to see people pushing the edges of the meta.

Final Tournament Placings

Age of Sigmar, Army Lists, Big Waaagh!, Chaos, Destruction, Disciples of Tzeentch, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Heartwood, Hosts Arcanum, Nighthaunt, Order, Orruk Warclans, Sylvaneth, The Scarlet Doom, Top three lists, Tournaments

Top Three AoS Lists for the G&T GT 2

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This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the G&T GT2 that took place in England, UK on 6th and 7th August It involved 14 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

Allegiance: Nighthaunt
– Procession: Scarlet Doom
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Guardian of Souls (150)*
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Lore of the Underworlds: Shademist
Krulghast Cruciator (150)*
Krulghast Cruciator (150)**
Spirit Torment (115)*
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of the Underworlds: Seal of Shyish

Battleline
30 x Bladegheist Revenants (525)***
– Reinforced x 2
20 x Bladegheist Revenants (350)***
– Reinforced x 1
3 x Spirit Hosts (125)*
3 x Spirit Hosts (125)*

Units
8 x Myrmourn Banshees (210)**
– Reinforced x 1
2 x Chainghasts (95)**

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment
**Battle Regiment
***Bounty Hunters

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 102
Drops: 4

Brett: Are things beginning to settle following the GHB Season 1 introduction? At least in the smaller events the same sorts of armies seem to be placing consistently and a few key elements standout. Of course this is anecdotal and I haven’t done the statisical analysis. What I do know is that if you start with Krulghast, Spirit Torment, Bladegheist and Scarlet Doom and you have the core of a good army with decent potential. Dennis dialled that up a bit giving himself 2 mini castles or tactical groupings to pursue points with.

Most Scarlet Doom lists have a sincle Krulghast backed by a collection of Spirit Torments and Guardian of Souls for the heals, to return models and debuff spells. That tends to mean you need to play with a castle around a fully buffed hammer unit. Dennis dialled back the Spirit Torments to take 2 Krulghast for that sweet damage reduction. WIth 2 units of Spirit Hosts to provide bodyguard or wound offset you can run the 30 model and 20 model Bladegheist as independant action units. You’d have to choose which healing character went with each or try to keep them close together to maintain ranges/auras. My preference is propoably the Spirit Torment with the Chaingasts on the 20 model unit and Guardian with the 30. That way the Chaingasts additional attack for units within 12″ offsets the fewer models.

It’s also easier to keep the smaller unit wholly within 12″ for the buff. This way the 20 model unit has 80 attacks on the Charge to the larger units 90. I would probably have split the Myrmourn as well given the 2 Battle Regiments on top of Bounty Hunters (this is a 4 drop list). They need to be wholly within 12″ to eat a spell so maybe only one unit will have their “favours”. Shademist and Seal of Shyish are the usual choices (for now) and including the Chainghasts (or extra Banshees) precludes the Purple Sun. I wonder if Dennis is like me and hasn’t secured a model yet? Top result with a flexible army that deserved to win. He’s beaten a selection, including 2nd and 3rd, of the top factions at the moment on his way to the win.

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Allegiance: Sylvaneth
– Glade: Heartwood
– Season: The Reaping
– Mortal Realm: Ghyran
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Warsong Revenant (305)*
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Lore of the Deepwood: Treesong
Arch-Revenant (120)*
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Lore of the Deepwood: Verdurous Harmony
Battlemage (100)*
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Allies

Battleline
6 x Kurnoth Hunters with Kurnoth Greatbows (460)*
– Reinforced x 1
6 x Kurnoth Hunters with Kurnoth Scythes (500)*
– Reinforced x 1
5 x Tree-Revenants (110)*
5 x Tree-Revenants (110)*

Units
3 x Revenant Seekers (235)*

Endless Spells & Invocations
Spiteswarm Hive (40)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 1980 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 100 / 400
Wounds: 113
Drops: 1

Brett: Sylvaneth are an interesting army, they have an awesome God model that is a bit prone to dying and their best offensive unit is best used defensively (Kurnoth). But this army is a bit more aggressive than that by adding +2 to charges, handy if a unit is going to teleport away (or walk the rootbourne paths or something). Choosing big blocks of Kurnoth limits some of your options because they are so expensive but they are a very effective unit. You know your opponent is going to try to remove those Greatbows because their range and hardiness can control the board.

Bounty Hunters don’t receive ++1 damage into the Kurnoth either (5 wounds) but they are able to be healed/have a model returned by the Seekers. Tree Revenants do what they always do, provide mobile threat with their ability to quickly grab an untended objective and they are ok in combat, certainly against other battleline units. Seekers are an interesting unit that despite being life given heals if it kills something – normally that is left to the death or chaos “healers”. The Battlemage, Arcane Tome and Warsong add up to 4 casts/unbinds. Listed with only the single spell the Warsong can take 2 and has Master of Magic for a reroll once per turn. The Arch-Revenents spell creates an interesting circle with the Tree-Revenants and Seekers (particularly the Seekers).

Verdurous Harmony is particularly good for healing revenants (returns D3 models instead of 1). So the Seekers maintain say the Kurnoth Greatbows and the Arch Revenant keeps the Seekers topped up so the Seekers can attack and hopefully heal themselves. The Arch Revenant isn’t finished there simultaneously buffing itself and giving Kurnoth Hunters +1 to wound, wounding on 2s in other words. The Warsong Revenant is another strong caster but also a fighter if need be. She has a 4+ ward and +1 to cast near activated terrain or Wyldwoods. Heartwood allows you to designate 3 enemy units at the start of the match and receive +1 to hit rolls against them. The army performed very well overall losing only to Dennis. Did the 2 units of Bladegheist spread the forces of the woods?

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Allegiance: Tzeentch
– Change Coven: Hosts Arcanum
– Grand Strategy: None Chosen
– Triumphs:

Leaders
Kairos Fateweaver (435)*
– Lore of Change: Tzeentch’s Firestorm
Curseling, Eye of Tzeentch (180)*
– General
– Command Trait: Spell Hunters
– Artefact: The Fanged Circlet
– Lore of Fate: Arcane Suggestion
Changecaster, Herald of Tzeentch (140)*
– Lore of Change: Treason of Tzeentch

Battleline
3 x Screamers of Tzeentch (100)*
3 x Screamers of Tzeentch (100)*
3 x Screamers of Tzeentch (100)*

Units
3 x Tzaangor Skyfires (190)*
3 x Tzaangor Skyfires (190)

Behemoths
Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (400)*
– Allies

Endless Spells & Invocations
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)
Chronomantic Cogs (40)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 1945 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 400 / 400
Wounds: 75
Drops: 2

Brett: Since the release of their battletome in AoS 2.0 Tzeetch has risen and fallen in both popularity and power but mostly floated near the top. This is an interesting army because it is a pure Tzeetch list without horrors. The ubiquitous Purple Sun and almost as popular Chronomatic Cogs which makes sense in a casting army. As a pure Tzeetch army, it’s a very elite army with only 19 models. One reason there are no horrors is Krondspine, helping an army that otherwise has limited combat.

The army is in Hosts Arcanum granting a auto unbind/dispell in the 1st, 3rd and 5th rounds. As a 2nd Ed book there are mandatory traits and artefacts. Since these give you a redeploy for up to 3 units and 6 Screamers once per battle there isn’t a lot to complain about. Otherwise we have Fateweaver with his 3 spells, ability to change dice rolls for casts, auto dispel an endless spell every round. Oracle of Eternity isn’t as powerful as it is when he is paired with Archeon and can guarantee a death for something important. The Changecaster and Curseling bring more spells and unbind shenanigans including stealing a spell off their opponents warscroll. You only get Faith Points (the summoning currency for Tzeetch) if you successfully cast a spell and it isn’t unbound. So expect 6 casts per round from them.

Screamers and Skyfires are ok but they don’t have a lot of attacks, this is an army that is mostly going to wait for you to come to it, use spells to weaken you (and bows) before engaging. The Skyfires do D3 damage on a hit with their bows, but it’s only 3 shots each time. Both do mortal wounds for 6s. Having Krondspine to either attract fire or just block something in conjunction with a casting castle. So long as they can stay back and have a chance for a few Tzeetch’s Firestorms or more summoning they are going to be difficult to handle.

Looking at the path through the event it was the alpha striking armies (Nighthaunt and Ironjawz) that caused issues. Nighthaunt in particular were in a good place to counter Tzeetch, their large blocks can easily absorb the hits from spells and heal back the lost units.

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Allegiance: Ironjawz
– Warclan: Ironsunz
– Mortal Realm: Ghur
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Kragnos, The End of Empires (720)
Big Drogg Fort-Kicka (525)
– Allies
Chad Longjohnson (480)
Megaboss on Maw-Krusha
– General
– Boss Choppa and Rip-tooth fist
– Command Trait: Hulking Brute
– Artefact: Destroyer
– Mount Trait: Mean ‘Un

Battleline
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)*
– 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)*
– 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)*
– 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers

Core Battalions
*Expert Conquerors

Total: 1980 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 525 / 400
Wounds: 101
Drops: 6

Brett: An Ironjawz list with a view to the future? Lower drops by choosing bigger models maybe? Either way this is an interesting idea which probably didn’t quite work out but worth a go, Kragnos, Mega Gargant and a Mawcrusha. 3 MSU Ardboy units at the rear. The Mega doesn’t benefit from Mighty Destroyers but they do receive Kragnos’s buff to charge range,

Hold the back line and slap anything that looks tasty, strong or important. The Mega Boss has all of the important things to give him a 36″ move and still hit unreasonably hard. I’d tend to use the Gargant/Kragnos to clear screens exposing the underbelly to the Mawcrusher. It looks like the army struggled into summoning armies mostly. That makes sense because as Ironjawz you lose steam after Turn 2 maybe 3 just when Tzeetch and Beasts start bring extra friends. Still a good performance and really awesome to see people testing the meta.

Final Tournament Placings

Age of Sigmar, Army Lists, Chaos, Daughters of Khaine, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Gnarlroot, Legion of the First Prince, Order, Peter & Brett, Ravagers, Slaves to Darkness, Sylvaneth, Top three lists, Tournaments, Zainthar Kai

Top Three AoS Lists for Summer of Sigmar – Gamers Guild Grand Tournament

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This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Summer of Sigmar Grand Tournament that took place in Tempe, Arizona, USA on the 6th and 7th of August. It involved 16 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament. This was their inagural event and they have a venue that can handle quite a few more. Lets hope we see it grow in coming years.

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: Daughters of Khaine
– Subfaction: Zainthar Kai
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumph: Inspired

LEADERS
Morathi-Khaine (680)*
The Shadow Queen (680)*
Bloodwrack Medusa (130)*
– General
– Command Traits: Zealous Orator
– Artefacts of Power: Shadow Stone
– Spells: Mindrazor

BATTLELINE
Blood Sisters (420)**
– Gorgai
Blood Sisters (140)**
– Gorgai
Blood Sisters (140)**
– Gorgai
Blood Sisters (140)***
– Gorgai
Blood Sisters (140)***
– Gorgai

OTHER
Khinerai Heartrenders (95)*
– Shryke
Khinerai Heartrenders (95)*
– Shryke

CORE BATTALIONS
*Battle Regiment
**Bounty Hunters
***Expert Conquerors

TOTAL POINTS: 1980/2000

Brett: Another army eschewing the archers for the stabby queens reflecting the new battletome. 5 Blood Sister units including a double reinforced group of bounty hunter murder elves, fun. Rounding out the list the Bloodwrack Medusa is the General and Khinerai Heartrender for mobile threat. Ultimately this is a 6 drop list, a reasonable chance that they won’t decide first turn.

The high drops is a facet of having the Blood Sisters split between Bounty Hunters and Expert Conquerors. It’s not clear if the event allowed book traits (which the Khinerai play into really well) or just GHB however the list provides coverage for any outcome. Zainthar Kar is required to make the Blood Sisters battle line and the opportunity for 35 Blood Sisters. Mind Razor and Shadow Stone (+1 to casting) to try to get an additional -1 rend. Ignoring effects from Blood Rites (like +1 to wound) those 15 Blood sisters can expect 38 hits (exploding 6s) and 24 wounds – 48 into Galletian Veterans. With 2 wounds, 5+ save and 6+ (can be 5+) ward you have to devote real resources to shifting blood sisters. Zainthar Kar gives them fight on death, removing the large unit without shooting would be dicey.

Shadow Queen/Morathi are another hard nut, 3 spells across the 6 known to DoK. Those spells read like some of the best across multiple books including increased rend, rebuffs and a teleport. The Melisa only has one cast but 2 dispels. Enough to cause issues for a magic army. And it looks like that’s what’s happened with the army taking all flavours of elf and some star crossed lizards to take the event 5/0

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Army Faction: Slaves to Darkness
– Army Type: Ravagers
– Grand Strategy: Take Whats Theirs – Triumph: Indomitable

LEADERS
Chaos Lord (120)***
– General
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Command Traits: Eternal Vendetta
– Reaperblade and Daemonbound Steel
– Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome
– Spells: Whispers of Chaos
Chaos Sorcerer Lord (135)***
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Command Traits: Bolstered by Hate
– Spells: Mask of Darkness
Chaos Sorcerer Lord (135)***
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Command Traits: Master of Magic
– Artefacts of Power: Blasphemous Cuirass
– Spells: Mask of Darkness
– Bonding: Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur

BATTLELINE
Untamed Beasts (70)
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
Chaos Knights (170)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Standard Bearer
– Hornblower
– Doom Knight
– Cursed Lance and Chaos Runeshield
Chaos Knights (170)*
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Standard Bearer
– Hornblower
– Doom Knight
– Cursed Lance and Chaos Runeshield
Chaos Warriors (400)**
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Aspiring Champion
– Chaos Hand Weapon and Chaos Runeshield
– 2 x Standard Bearer
– 2 x Hornblower
Chaos Warriors (400)**
– Mark of Chaos: Tzeentch
– Aspiring Champion
– Chaos Hand Weapon and Chaos Runeshield
– 2 x Standard Bearer
– 2 x Hornblower

BEHEMOTH
Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (400)

CORE BATTALIONS
*Bounty Hunters
**Expert Conquerors
***Command Entourage – Magnificent

TOTAL POINTS: 2000/2000

Brett: Good to see a Slaves to Darkness army make the podium in a 2 day event particularly as Ravagers. No Archeon, Be’Lakor or even a manticore just Lords, Sorcerors and even a Chaos Warriors. Effective here with a 4/0/1 result, the only loss being to the winner.

Taking Tzeentch as the chaos mark increases resilience with reroll 1s on saves and a 5+ ward against spells. On a 20 strong block of Chaos Warriors (in Eternal Conquerers) that’s a real problem to shift. While in a unit > 10 they have a 3+ save and a 5+ ward (half ward – it’s only against Mortal Wounds) with the shields. That’s 120 effective wounds (Rend 0). Their weaknesses is movement at 5” unless Mask of Darkness is available on a Chaos Sorcerer and both do. They are helped on the run and charge by the Hornblower. The Knights are hammers, they want to charge using their 10″ mobility. They to have +1 to run and charge from the Hornblowers.

The Chaos Lord is a combat hero with reroll wound rolls (and reroll hits against Order) and has a MW spell in leui of a ranged weapon. Lastly there is Krondspine. He’s fast moving and capable of deleting things quickly. Bold move, he costs enough to limit your choices in either troops or heros, Tyler choose to take weaker heroes. Ravagers was a good choice allowing additional traits. After that this list is all about getting those blocks of Warriors onto objectives and keeping them there by using the Knights. Krondspine is about taking down a deathstar or important hero.

Looking his path through the event, the StD list would struggle to deal enough damage to the Warriors, as would most of the other lists. The mobility of the DoK army we just looked at combined with DoK book Battle Tactics (which you can’t interact with well) obviously caused the army to struggle but otherwise this is a really well thought out approach and well deserved result.

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Army Faction: Sylvaneth
– Subfaction: Gnarlroot
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumph: Inspired

LEADERS
Warsong Revenant (305)**
– General
– Command Traits: Spellsinger
– Spells: Verdant Blessing, Verdurous Harmony
Treelord Ancient (360)**
– Artefacts of Power: Arcane Tome
– Spells: Treesong, Verdant Blessing

BATTLELINE
Tree-Revenants (110)**
– Waypipes
– Glade Banner Bearer
– Scion
– Protector Glaive
Tree-Revenants (110)**
– Glade Banner Bearer
– Waypipes
– Scion
– Protector Glaive
Dryads (100)**

OTHER
Revenant Seekers (235)*
– Seeker Banner Bearer
– Seeker Hornblower
– Revenant Soulwarden
Spiterider Lancers (420)*
– Spiterider Scion
– 2 x Spiterider Standard Bearer
– 2 x Spiterider Hornblower
Gossamid Archers (220)**
– Flitwing Scion

ENDLESS SPELLS & INVOCATIONS
1 x Spiteswarm Hive (40)
1 x Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

CORE BATTALIONS
*Bounty Hunters
**Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: 1970/2000

Brett: An interesting variation of Sylvaneth and a brave move to take all of the new units. With, it has to be said, the Purple Sun. The mobility of Tree-Revenants with the 3 overgrown terrain pieces from the start of the battle, makes them one of if not the best unit in the army at the moment. They are amazing at securing Battle Tactics.

This army has all of the new Sylvaneth units from the Revenant Seekers to Spiterider Lancers and Gossamid Archers. I haven’t seen an army with all of them before and like most of us don’t have a lot of experience with them. The Seekers and Lancers provide a lot of mobility outside of teleports which is something Sylvaneth struggle with a bit. They offer some quality attacks, without buffs I worry about the amount of damage they do but it’s reasonable. The ability to return a model of the Seekers is great in this army – the Lancers and everything else have 5 wounds or less and can be returned. Return 2 Spiteriders in a game and you’ve almost recovered the cost.

The Gossamids are a frustrating unit, they are vunerable to shooting with only a 12″ range. They need to be hidden which doesn’t make sense given their anti combat role (retreat when charged). But they have a role where you teleport them to an objective (or near one) that has a thin force on it. You can even open an objective to a Tree Revenant by pulling a combat unit away. That’s not to forget the Treelord Ancient and Wargsong. With the Arcane Tome they have 4 spells, both are deicated to Awakended Wyldwoods (expect at least another per turn) and then buffing the impact of the woods. As Gnarlwood they also get improved casting near Wyldwoods. Another interesting army from this event.

One of the interesting impacts of this approach is its hard for an army like Ironjawz to identify an alpha strike target. Even if they get the Warsong it’s not going to put you on the back foot too much. Other than the winner’s evil Blood Sister’s list he was unbeaten through the event taking both combat and shooting armies.

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Army Faction: Legion of the First Prince
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
– Triumph: Bloodthirsty

LEADERS
Kairos Fateweaver (435)
– Spells: The Master’s Command
Be’lakor (360)*
– Spells: The Master’s Command
The Contorted Epitome (245)*
– General
– Command Traits: Ruinous Aura
– Artefacts of Power: Fourfold Blade
– Spells: Flaming Weapon, The Master’s Command
– Bonding: Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur

BATTLELINE
Bloodletters (110)*
Plaguebearers (150)*
Plaguebearers (150)*

BEHEMOTH
Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (400)*

ENDLESS SPELLS & INVOCATIONS
1 x Umbral Spellportal (70)
1 x Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

CORE BATTALIONS
*Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: 1990/2000

Brett: I grabbed this one just because we aren’t seeing a lot of Legion of the First Prince armies right now. This is a very interesting take including some heavy hitters (Belakor and Fateweaver) with Krondspine rather than another Deamon Prince/Greater Deamon. I’m a fan of the Contorted Epitome, love to see it in the army. Mobile, lots of casting and so dangerous in combat.

Fateweaver brings a lot, 3 casts, auto dispell of 1 endless spell and the ability to change dice for casting, unbinding or dispell rolls. That’s before gift of change. Plaguebearers are a good choice for objectives, Bloodletters are cheap but fragile. If they charge or are teleported though they can mess up some archers. Belakor and the Krondspine don’t need an introduction nor does the Purple Sun. The Umbral Spellportal is an autotake in a Tzeetch army or if Fateweaver is in the army.

This, to me, is a really fun army. A few small troop units and 4 big, fun models with lots of abilities to toy with your opponent. He lost his last 3 rounds but I bet they were still fun. Hitting a Bastilidon with Belakor and Fateweaver sounds like fun to me, the same about putting an Epitome into small heroes from any factions.

Final Tournament Placings

Age of Sigmar, Competitions, Games Workshop, Peter Holland, Tournaments

International TTS AoS GT

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In preparation for the Woehammer GT taking place next year in 13th & 14th May, we thought it may be fun to give players from around the world the chance to test their metal against one another.

It also gives me chance to test the BestCoastPairing System before we use it next year.

Entry to the tournament is free! If you want to sign up and take part (and face the likes of Josh Bennett – Daughters of Khaine World #1, Randal Brasher or even Tavendale from no-rolls) then drop me an email to thewoehammer@gmail.com with your name and email address.

  • As entry is free their are no prizes at present.
  • Army lists must be submitted by Friday 19th August
  • Players will have a week to play each round
  • Games should take no longer than 3.5 hours
  • Once matching takes place, players will need to organise with their opponent a suitable time to play.

Age of Sigmar, Army Lists, Big Waaagh!, Blades of Khorne, Bonesplitterz, Chaos, Destruction, Ethan & Peter, Fantasy, Fyreslayers, Games Workshop, Icebone, Lofnir, Order, Orruk Warclans, Reapers of Vengeance, Top three lists, Tournaments

Top Three AoS Lists for the Steel City GT

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This article is the debut article for Ethan Armstrong who has joined us from our Discord Server. Ethan will be joining our list doctors, a small team of players who will talk you through your lists and give suggestions on how you may be able to improve.

If you’re interested in having the list doctors look at your army list, then please send it to thewoehammer@gmail.com and we’ll be sure to include it in a future article.

This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the Steel City GT that took place in Pennsylvania, USA on 6th and 7th August. It involved 24 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

Allegiance: Fyreslayers
– Lodge: Lofnir
– Grand Strategy: Master of the Forge
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Auric Runefather (125)**
– General
– Command Trait: Spirit of Grimnir
Auric Runesmiter (135)**
– Runic Iron
– Prayer: Prayer of Ash
Runelord (95)**
– Allies

Battleline
10 x Hearthguard Berzerkers (320)***
– Broadaxes
– Reinforced x 1
10 x Hearthguard Berzerkers (320)***
– Broadaxes
– Reinforced x 1
Auric Runeson on Magmadroth (320)*
– Ancestral War-axe
– Artefact: Master Rune of Unbreakable Resolve
– Magmadroth Trait: Flame-scale Youngblood
Auric Runeson on Magmadroth (320)*
– Ancestral War-axe
– Artefact: Axe of Grimnir
– Magmadroth Trait: Coal-heart Ancient
Auric Runeson on Magmadroth (320)*
– Ancestral War-axe
– Magmadroth Trait: Lava-tongue Adult

Endless Spells & Invocations
Runic Fyrewall (40)

Core Battalions
*Bounty Hunters
**Command Entourage – Magnificent
***Expert Conquerors

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 95 / 400
Wounds: 104
Drops: 8

Ethan: In a meta increasingly leaning towards magic dominance, recent tournaments have returned a suite of powerful results for a variety of armies running anti-magic tools. Bill Souza, in this vein, has expertly piloted his Lofnir Lodge to a 5-0 utilising a variety of tools tailored to meta-mancy. The inclusion of a Runelord as ally speaks to the prevalence of endless spells in the current game, with his +2 to dispel rolls and additional unbind giving the army tools to put a damper on the ability of purple sun (and other spells! They also exist!) to affect Bill’s hero and monster-reliant list. The easy scoring of Bill’s Grand Strategy (have an invocation on the field at the end of the game) solves a problem many armies struggle with under the new GHB neatly, taking advantage of the lack of banishment found across most armies to pick up a consistent source of VP to boot!

Bill has taken Lofnir into this tournament, unlocking Runesons on Magmadroths as battleline and allowing for inclusion of all three mount traits. Magmadroths provide a monster of a warscroll (pun intended) – taking hits well, providing huge amounts of output and being excellent carriers of the artefacts Bill has included (more on this later!). Looking at Bill’s path through the tournament, his army is well equipped to the challenges of both melee-focused enemies who struggle to displace his army off of objectives at the same time as preventing the magmadroths punching holes in their own lines. Trickier foes like the Lumineth are tempered at least in part by the Runelord and the sheer prevalence of powerful ward saves in Bill’s force.

An exceptionally clever layer of complexity in this list is the expert use of the new battalions Bill has used, using both his sub-faction and general selection to satisfy conditions of these battalion for the inclusion of powerful units in Expert Conquerors and Bounty Hunters. The selection of the Auric Runefather as the general, make the Auric Hearthguard battleline, allowing them to be Expert conquerers, counting as 3 models on objectives. On such a notoriously durable unit, so long as they remain close to their heroes to activate their 4+ ward, an opponent is forced to invest significant quantities of damage onto these units if they intend to displace them, losing primary points for every turn they fail to do so. Additionally, the Magmadroths becoming battleline allow them to be selected as bounty hunters, increasing their already incredible output further when paired up against Galletian Veterans. Having committed so heavily to the new battalions, it only makes sense to round things out with a Command Entourage, picking up an extra artefact in the process.

With a strong alternative to Battle-regiment focused lists and a suite of tools tailor made to handle current meta conditions Bill has proven the Ur-Gold fiends of the Fyreslayers have fight in them yet after many dismissed their most recent battletome. Things are looking up for the Dwarves!

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Army Faction: Blades of Khorne
– Army Subfaction: Reapers of Vengeance
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

LEADER
1 x Bloodsecrator (125)*
1 x Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury (295)*
– Artefacts: Skullshard Mantle
1 x Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince (210)*
– Hellforged Sword and Malefic Talons
1 x Lord of Khorne on Juggernaut (140)**
– General
– Command Traits: Mage Eater
1 x Skarbrand (380)**

BATTLELINE
3 x Mighty Skullcrushers (165)*
– Skullhunter
– Standard Bearer
– Hornblower
– Bloodglaive
3 x Mighty Skullcrushers (165)*
– Hornblower
– Standard Bearer
– Skullhunter
– Bloodglaive
3 x Mighty Skullcrushers (165)*
– Hornblower
– Standard Bearer
– Skullhunter
– Bloodglaive
3 x Mighty Skullcrushers (165)**
– Standard Bearer
– Hornblower
– Skullhunter
– Bloodglaive
3 x Mighty Skullcrushers (165)**
– Standard Bearer
– Hornblower
– Skullhunter
– Bloodglaive

CORE BATTALIONS:
*Battle Regiment
**Battle Regiment

TOTAL POINTS: (1975/2000)

Ethan: What year is it?!?! The inimitable Thomas Guan has flown in from the top rope with a Khorne list that looks like it’s straight out of their second edition glory days with a few notable tweaks to continue with the current trend of anti-magic tech. Everyone knows Khorne is good at dealing with magic due to their Blood Tithe dispel but the White Dwarf update to how the tithe is used opens up the ability for Khorne to really lay the smackdown on caster-heavy opponents. As if this weren’t powerful enough, Reapers of Khorne seems to be the premium Khorne sub-faction under the new GHB providing a suite of excellent command abilities, artefacts and traits to their heroes. In the old book style, these traits and artefacts are mandatory selections, though with abilities like a 2+ spell ignore and an additional unbind attempt (auto-unbinding and causing d6 mortal wounds on an 8!) I doubt you’ll find many among the bloodied hordes complaining.

This list includes a selection of the well-known Khorne combos and all-star units with the ever-powerful combination of a Pile-in Thirster and Skarbrand appearing. Usually in this combination Skarbrand is held back on the first turn to place him at his top bracket before being flung into combat with a 6” pile-in, no charge required. This combination is brutally doubled down on by the Reapers of Vengeance sub-faction command ability allowing Skarbrand to then fight again in the combat phase, again piling in 6” so long as they remain within range of the other Bloodthirster. A bloodsecrator acts as a buff-piece and powerful priest, allowing for additional attempts to dispel endless spells and a STD Daemon Prince gives Thomas the capacity to choose who he fights, and where. The combination of this Daemon Prince with the Pilethirster provides a lot of control for a list that, on the face of it just wants to smash you in the face but it’s only after looking at the remainder of the list that the flashbacks of a time when Khorne was the meta darling of the day begin. A Lord of Khorne on Juggernaut and five (count ‘em!) units of Mighty Skullcrushers round out the list, blasting mortal wounds into opponents on the charge and providing tanky bodies for objective taking with good movement to ensure the army is able to make contact with the enemy before its lack of ranged tools become an issue.

Thomas has done well with an off-meta pick, only falling to Fyreslayers in the final round. Sadly for Thomas, the Duardin possess (or maybe Dispossess?) many of the tools required to stare down this combat army and ask them if that’s all they’ve got? Also lacking in magic of their own, the durable, high-ward Fyreslayers waste many of the strengths of Thomas’s Subfaction, drawing them into a sit-down, drag out combat slog where the Skullcrusher’s charge effects will lack the punch they would otherwise provide. To go 4-1 with an off-meta pick is nevertheless an incredible achievement and show a level of list-building mastery that seems to be the joy of many an experienced player in the new GHB.

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Allegiance: Bonesplitterz
– Warclan: Icebone
– Grand Strategy: Waaagh!
– Triumphs: Indomitable

Leaders
Kragnos, The End of Empires (720)*
Wurrgog Prophet (150)*
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Glowin’ Tattooz
– Lore of the Savage Beast: Glowy Green Tusks

Battleline
5 x Savage Boarboys (140)*
– Chompas
5 x Savage Boarboys (140)*
– Chompas
5 x Savage Boarboys (140)*
– Chompas

Units
5 x Savage Boarboy Maniaks (145)*
4 x Savage Big Stabbas (160)*
– Reinforced x 1

Behemoths
Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (400)*
– Allies

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 1 / 4
Allies: 400 / 400
Wounds: 101
Drops: 1

Ethan: Holy moley what a brutal list:

  • Kragnos
  • Wurrgog
  • Krondspine
  • Big Stabbas

Ben’s army asks you which problem you’d like to deal with first and like the multiple choice quiz from hell, you’re always wrong. With the number of threats this list presents you can only pity the opponents Ben stared down ( 😊 ) throughout his journey on this eternal quest to krump.

Continuing the trend of book-based Grand Strategies, Waaagh! Simply requires either a battleline unit or your general (Does Kragnos count?) to be wholly within enemy territory when the battle ends. Realistically, if this doesn’t naturally happen in the course of play in an Ork army, you may need to return to school to do some fingerpainting and commune with old mate Mork.

There’s not a huge amount to say about the list as a whole, Kragnos is a brutal combat monster, the Wurrgog’s usual trick of staring something off the table removes notable threats and, in combination with a bound Incarnate provides a wonderful problem for your opponent should you ever lose the staring match. Boarboyz fill out the battleline slot while a reinforced unit of big stabbas… well… they stab?

With so many points invested into the Incarnate and Kragnos, Ben does a good job of rounding out his army, ensuring that he has enough bodies to threaten various objectives and the speed to get there, only falling over (in much the same way as Thomas’s Khorne) to the sheer durability of Bill’s fyreslayers. With such a stable of experienced players I’d kill to be a fly on the wall throughout these games but don’t let the relatively heavy combat focus of these lists trick you into thinking the games look much as a toddler playing with dinosaurs (leave that to Seraphon players), without the tools such as shooting and casting that many armies enjoy mastery of both deployment and the movement phase would have been key to these players.

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Allegiance: Big Waaagh!
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Indomitable

LEADERS
Breaka-Boss on Mirebrute Troggoth (180)
– Artefact: Mork’s Eye Pebble
– Mount Trait: Fast ‘Un
Gobsprakk, The Mouth of Mork (280)***
– Lore of the Swamp: All
Orruk Warchanter (115)
– Warbeat: Fixin’ Beat
Orruk Weirdnob Shaman (90)***
– Lore of the Weird: Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork
Wurrgog Prophet (150)***
– General
– Command Trait: Master of Magic
– Artefact: Glowin’ Tattooz
– Lore of the Savage Beast: Gorkamorka’s War Cry

BATTLELINE
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)**
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)**
5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)*

OTHER UNITS
3 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)*
– Jagged Gore-hackas
3 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)*
– Jagged Gore-hackas
3 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (120)***

BEHEMOTH
Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (400)
– Allies
– Bonded: Wurgog Prophet

ENDLESS SPELLS
Umbral Spellportal (70)

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

ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS
Artefact

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 400 / 400
Wounds: 111
Drops: 12

Ethan: This tournament’s wildcard list, piloted by Ben Mulshine, utilises a variety of the tools we’ve mentioned throughout the other lists above, only losing once to Thomas’s Khorne in its path. Much like Bill, Ben (must resist!) has potted (sorry.) his units into the triple combination of Warlord, Expert Conquerers and Bounty Hunters, eschewing any hope of turn selection in favour of an extra artefact, CP, Count-as-three capturing and bonus damage against Galletian Veterans. ‘Ardboyz capture objectives while the suite of powerful heroes and the Gore-Gruntas team up with the Incarnate to grab the opponent’s neck and beat them down with pure combat efficiency.

The previously discussed combination of Wurrgog and Incarnate present a Russian Roulette-esque threat to the opponent where even playing the game is to lose it. The hero loadouts all work together to solve one of the lists major weaknesses with the Eye-pebble, Fast’un and the Great Green Hand of Mork getting in the opponents face quickly and mitigating the ability for shooting armies to punch holes in Ben’s units before they’re able to do that they do best, foightin’.

I’d love to ask Ben how he felt various aspects of the list performed, the battalions make deployment a challenge as, while Ben can deploy in reaction to his opponent, the risk of a double turn or being alpha struck himself create a schrodinger’s cat of a deployment, where Ben must be ready to react depending on whether his opponent decides to give him the turn or not. The list is finely tuned with tools for a variety of situations and draws on one of the biggest advantages Big Waaagh! provides by allowing an all-star cast of the Orruk Warclans various Warscrolls. Listbuilding is always a matter of refining however and I do wonder whether Ben feels he’d make any changes or stick with the current list after such a respectable result.

Incredible work to the players of all of today’s lists! The new GHB continues to deliver as a factional wunderkind with tournaments around the world giving a variety of factions their time in the sun. It only remains to be seen whether the current trend of anti-magic continues to dominate the magic-heavy lists going around currently or if upcoming tomes (LRL and Tzeentch, though still a ways off) can break through a meta which seems pre-designed to keep them under wraps.

Final Tournament Placings

Age of Sigmar, Authors, Fantasy, Games Workshop, Kieron Bailey, Tournaments

Bringing a Man-Skewer Crossbow to a Gunfight (Sticking with an Underperforming Army)

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2022 was the year that I hung up my inferno combi-bolters (at least for the time being) and decided to give AoS a go. I found an army I liked the aesthetic of, a way of painting them that worked for me (thank you Slap-chop) and got some tournaments booked in.

As I learned more about AoS, I discovered that my chosen army, Kruleboyz, were not exactly setting things alight on the tournament scene, but I had already got cracking on the painting and had most of the army I needed, so I decided to persevere.

This short blog is about the benefits of sticking with an underperforming army, aka bringing a Man-skewer Crossbow to a gunfight.

1) Lots of cheap models on eBay! While there may not be a start collecting box for Kruleboyz, I managed to pick up lots of models extremely cheaply on eBay, despite the sculpts being great (should have wondered more about that in retrospect!).

10 Gutrippaz can be found on eBay for just £6.50

2) You can never be called ‘That Guy’ with an underperforming army. It can make the social interaction of pickup games and/or tournaments quite straightforward if your opponent is less nervous as they know they aren’t about to be ROFLstomped by the latest hotness.

3) You can catch your opponent unawares. I’m not talking gotcha moments here, but people tend not to build towards defeating your underpowered army because a) their meta representation is quite low and b) to be frank, they probably don’t have to! This can mean that sometimes you’ll have a shot against someone who expects to beat you as soon as they pair into you.

4) Knowing your army. This goes for all armies really, but while the temptation might be strong to switch (and Big Waaagh has been buying me drinks all night), sticking with your army means you know how to get the most out of it.

5) The pressure is off in tournaments. If your army is languishing in the 30% win range, 2 wins in a 5 round tournament is you over-achieving! Well done, you! The same number of wins for an army at the absolute top of the meta, however, might be disappointing.

So there we have it: five reasons for sticking with an army that can seem to be hard work at times. And remember, once you’ve hit bottom, there’s only one way up and just imagine how match-fit you’ll be after receiving a balance update or White Dwarf glow-up!

Any more reasons for sticking with a struggling army? Pop them in the comments below.