Tag Archives: Bonesplitters

Orruk Warclans – New Book

Wish Listing for the Weekend

I am at heart a Destruction player, having played them at most of the tournaments I’ve been to since AOS was launched. My main army is definitely the Gloomspite Gitz, but they have been in a bad place for some time and so I switched to Orruk Warclans at the end of AOS2. This wasn’t my first time with them as I did play with a lot of Ardboyz in AOS1 under ‘MoComp’ before points were released by GW.

So, as I’ve got a little experience with them I’ve decided to do a bit of wishlisting for the new release of the Orruk Warclan book which goes on pre-order this weekend (11th & 12th September 2021). I don’t have any insider knowledge, so all this is bound to be wrong, but it’ll be interesting (to me at least!) to see how wrong.

Overall Book

We already know that the book includes the new forces of the Kruleboyz and that it still includes the Ironjawz and Bonesplitters. There have also been releases about the Kruleboyz with the Dominion box and over on Warhammer Community in the last few months. So I’ll try to incorporate what we’ve learnt below.

Allegiances

I hope we keep the allegiances with Ironjaws, Bonesplitters and Kruleboyz and that we retain a Big Waaagh! version.

I’d like to mostly retain the Waaagh points, especially the extra ‘+’ to cast. It would be good if it were a true allegiance with their own artefacts, magic etc… but I don’t see that happening as it could get too confusing.

Hopefully we’ll also keep some of the sub-allegiances although now would be a great time to remove the Realmgate requirement for the Bloodtoofs!

Ironjawz

The Ironjawz are good, and doing reasonably well in AOS3 with the Maw Krushas doing a lot of the heavy lifting, so I don’t think much needs to be changed. However if I’m wish listing the following could do with attention:

  • Gordrakk to be on a level with some of the other God characters, and at least as good as the Megaboss on MawKrusha. Ability to take mount trait for BigTeef (his MawKrusha); or a significant point reduction
  • Megaboss on MawKrusha looks like they may lose their 3+ armour save which if there isn’t a way to get back to 3+ will need a points reduction. Command Ability needs to be replaced as it another +1 to hit. Charge mortal wounds back to 4+
  • Megaboss – new command ability
  • Warchanter – Magic Items & PRIEST keyword
  • Shaman – Green Puke to be 5+ to cast
  • Orruk Brutes – simplify weapons, 2″ reach for everything, fewer points. Bravery increase
  • Orruk Ardboyz – they currently have same function as the Brutes. Turn them into Brutes light, with worse attacks and lower bravery. To be used for objective holding whilst Brutes go forward.
  • Gore-Gruntas – 2″ reach

Bonesplitters

Bonesplitters did well at Nashcon with two army lists, but haven’t shown up in many other tournaments. Perhaps the old list of ‘Kunning Rukk’ which shot people off left a bad taste in the mouth, but with LRL now on the board and lots of Sons of Behemat there may be play with the Bonesplitters now.

  • Wurrgog Prophet – A good scroll
  • Savage Big Boss – Command Ability to work with shooting as well
  • Maniak Weirdnob – Spell replicates above command ability. Would be good to have a difference
  • Wardokk – A scroll prayer
  • Savage Orruks / Savage Orruk Moarboyz – combine these warscrolls
  • Savage Boarboyz / Savage Boarboy Maniaks – combine these warscrolls
  • Savage Big Stabbas – help with survivability (maybe -1 to hit with shooting if near Savage Orruks, not closest to enemy)
  • Savage Orruk Arrowboyz – Swap the Loadsa Arrows ability for something that doesn’t add dice (more low quality shots!!)

Kruleboyz

We only know what we’ve been told about these so I’m bound to miss some units. They rely on poison to do their damage, and unlike the other Orruks have ranged attacks.

  • Allegiance abilities to help with the poison (ie double down!)
  • Hobgrots Battleline if and get Orruk benefits for a build or Allegiance
  • Monsters to be playable to fairly pointed
  • Shooting to be able to affect the meta, by outdistancing LRL, and being able to hurt monsters
  • Some of the fun traps which were written about in the Dominion novel.

Kragnos

The elephant in the room. Hopefully he’ll be good enough to see play in some competitive builds, and will be given a mortal wound after save. Whilst he is a 2+ save there is so much that can avoid this at times he feels like he’s wearing paper… which to be fair, he’s not wearing a lot.

I would also like to see GW giving a different point value for Kragnos with the other Destruction forces (particularly Gloomspite Gitz)

Summary

Orruk Warclans are a Destruction book that definitely has options and can compete for 4-1 in the hands of an experienced player, so my primary hope is that the book doesn’t become bad with the new release. All the parts are there, and hopefully the Kruleboyz won’t be a third wheel and break the book.

And I suppose another one – hopefully the Kruleboyz are playable on their own without the other Warclans Orruks being necessary.


What do you think? What are you hoping for? How wrong am I?

Let us know in the comments below!