So I thought I would write up a little bit of commentary on the Ogre List going to the UK masters. 4 out of the 16 players going are taking the fatties which I think speaks volumes about Ogres and how they are played. The lists are all very different to each other and are very different to what I am taking to the Falkirk Free for All in February which also uses the Swedish Comp system.
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First up is Al Thompson's Army which is quite interesting by the fact that it is the only one without a Slaughtermaster and instead takes a Tyrant as the general and has the lowest comp score coming in at 9. The Tyrant is kitted out for survival but with the right buffs becomes a killing machine. The BSB is fairly standard and by taking two lvl 2 butchers Al has kept his score a bit lower than taking a Slaughtermaster. The main army is based around 3 large combat units and 1 large shooting/support combat unit. By going for units of 9 Al has gone for a better point to comp point ratio. My one comment on this is that I'm not sure the Standard of discipline was 100% required since the Tyrant is Leadership 9 to begin with. The army will be rock solid reliable but by dropping that and maybe another few things he could have reached a comp score of 10. I like what Al has done I think he has done well to get a powerful Ogre list in the tournament while keeping the comp score respectable.
Al Thompson – Ogre Kingdoms
Tyrant, Glittering Scales, Fencers Blades, Talisman of Endurance
Bruiser, Battle Standard Bearer Biting Blade, Enchanted Shield, Iron Cursed Icon, Heavy Armour
Butcher, Lv2 Dispel Scroll
Butcher, Lv2, Ring of Ruby Rhuin
9 Ironguts, Standard, Musician, Champion, Look out Gnoblar, Standard of Discipline
9 Ogre Bulls, Musician, Additional Hand Weapon
Sabre Tusk
Sabre Tusk
4 Mournfang Cavalry, Ironfists, Heavy Armour, Musician, Standard, Champion, Warbanner
8 Leadbelchers, Musician
Ironblaster
Comp Score - 9.0
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I quite like Lorenzo's list, mainly because it is so wildly different to what I use and has given me some ideas and food for thought. I'm keen to try a death lvl 4 one day however, I could be wrong, but I think the (filthy sneaky)Greedy fist combo has been nerfed and doesn't work anymore! The build I would have gone for on the slaughtermaster would have been a little different, maybe on a mgic carpet for purple sun shenangins! I have an idea of combining bubble soul blight with maw buffs to create bubbles of massive strength/toughness differences. I really also want to try a runemaw BSB just for giggles!
I could also be wrong with this but I don't think basic Ogres can take a magic banner so I think Lorenzo has made a wee mistake there :( but the bull bunker is a good shout considering that they are much less comp points. Only issue is without maw or beasts buffs I don't know if they will be able to put out the hurt! The small 3 man Irongut unit is nice a very hard hitting throw away unit. Smashing it into the flank of something could make a big difference!
Really liking the Maneater Star which is crazy hard hitting and poisoned attacks is a great shout for no comp penalty. The second rank of great weapons at S7 is also nice! The gorger may never do anything but will be fun all the same :)
Player: Lorenzo Ricagni
Slaughtermaster: General, Level 4, Lore of Death, Fencer’s Blades, Glittering Scales, Greedy Fist 385 (-32)
Bruiser: BSB, Rune Maw, Great Weapon, Heavy Armour 205 (-25)
Butcher: Lore of the Great Maw, Dispel Scroll, Great Weapon 134 (-12)
Firebelly: Lore of Fire, Extra Hand Weapon, Potion of Speed 127 (-10)
9 Ogres: Ironfists, Standard, Look-out Gnoblar, Banner of Swiftness, Musician, Champion 338 (-19)
3 Ironguts: Musician 139 (-7)
20 Gnoblars: Trappers 75 (-2)
20 Gnoblars 50 (-2)
Sabretusk 21 (-2)
2 Mournfang: Heavy Armour, Ironfists, Musician 150 (-12)
9 Maneaters: Immune to Psychology, Poisoned Attacks, Standard, Look-out Gnoblar, Standard of Discipline,
Musician, Two have Extra Hand Weapons, Two have Great Weapons 516 (-34)
Gorger 90 (-4)
Ironblaster 170 (-23)
Army Total: 2400
Swedish Comp total: 11.6
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Matthew's list looks really interesting to me and is the closest to what I am looking at taking for Falkirk. I think of the 4 this is the list to watch and I will be very interested to see how it preforms at the event. Getting a score of 11 is a good effort considering the 7 strong stubborn maneater unit, gutstar, mournfang and the ironblaster! The support Butcher on beasts I think is a steal at only 7 comp points when considering wildformed maneaters or mournfang. If he can roll Savage beast of Horros those characters will become absolute killing machines, especially the bruiser with warrior bane: Rocking up with 7 Strength 8 attacks which remove attacks from monsters and characters is amazing! If he can get the bubble version off then it will be a bloodbath! Even rolling amber spear or curse or aranheir would really give the army some sneaky flexibility!
I'm liking the razor standard on the mournfang, it can really help them against other armoured units which the mournfang can sometimes bounce off!
Player: Matthew Watkinson
1 Slaughtermaster @ 315 pts
General; Magic level 3; Lore of the Great Maw; Fencers blades; Glittering Scales; Ironcurse icon
1 Bruiser @ 184 pts
Battle Standard Bearer; Heavy Armour; Talisman of Preservation; Enchanted Shield
1 Butcher @ 169 pts
Magic Level 2; Lore of Beasts; Great Weapon; Ruby Ring of Ruin
1 Bruiser @ 155 pts
Warrior Bane; Armour of Silvered Steel
7 Ironguts; w/ Full Command Group; Standard of Discpiline; Look out Gnoblar @ 351 pts
3 Ogres; Ironfists @ 96 pts
3 Orges @ 90 pts
10 Gnoblars; Trappers @ 50 pts
10 Gnoblars; Trappers @ 50 pts
7 Maneaters; w/ Standard; 6 Extra Hand Weapons; Banner of Eternal Flame; Poisoned Attacks; Stubborn @ 382 pts
4 Mournfang; w/standard and musician; Heavy Armour; Ironfists; The Razor Standard @ 345 pts
2 Sabretusks @ 42 pts
1 Ironblaster @ 170 pts
Total Army Cost: 2399 pts
Swedish Comp Score: 11.6
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Tom Mawdsley is also rocking a very, very solid list and is interesting with the Heavens lvl 4. I really rate a heavens lvl 4 and think it is a good choice for ogres, harmonic convergence is amazing with leadbelchers and mournfang providing all those re-rolls. The slaughter master is also rocking a build I really like too, I am a big advocate of a 4+ ward over the glittering scales/fencers blades combo for defence against auto hits and death snipes. The single death lvl 1 is nice too since he can maybe roll doom and darkness to combo with iceshard blizzard for a -4 leadership de-buff but the little spirit leech could also come in handy. Again the rune maw on the BSB keeps the gutstar safe from death snipes and magic in general (really have to try this!). I think Tom will be always defaulting to the stubborn maw spell on his lvl 1 to get around the comp a little which is one of the reasons I think Ogres could be very good in this system.
By taking two units of 2 mournfang tom will get benefits from the bubble harmonic convergence helping him keep them alive and dish out the pain. It is basically a bubble dragonhide banner that works every turn (filth)!!! The stonehorn will also benefit since 9 times out of 10 it will be wound on 2s and re rolling those 1s can make big difference if you have a bad round.
Player: Tom Mawdsley
By taking two units of 2 mournfang tom will get benefits from the bubble harmonic convergence helping him keep them alive and dish out the pain. It is basically a bubble dragonhide banner that works every turn (filth)!!! The stonehorn will also benefit since 9 times out of 10 it will be wound on 2s and re rolling those 1s can make big difference if you have a bad round.
Player: Tom Mawdsley
1 Slaughtermaster @ 340pts (-32)
General; Lore of Heavens, Magic Level 4
Talisman of Preservation, Ironcurse Icon, Warrior Bane
1 Bruiser @ 205pts (-22)
Battle Standard Bearer, Heavy Armour, Great Weapon
Rune Maw
1 Butcher @ 134pts (-12)
Lore of the Great Maw, Magic Level 1, Great Weapon
Dispel Scroll
1 Butcher @ 105pts (-5)
Lore of Death, Magic Level 1
Tormentor Sword
6 Ironguts w/ Full Command, Look-Out Gnoblar, Standard of Discipline @ 308pts (-23)
3 Ogres w/ Ironfists @ 96pts (-6)
3 Ogres w/ Ironfists @ 96pts (-6)
10 Gnoblars w/ Trappers @ 50pts (-2)
10 Gnoblars w/ Trappers @ 50pts (-2)
4 Leadbelchers w/ Musician @ 182pts (-13)
2 Mournfang Cavalry w/ Musician, Heavy Armour, Ironfists @ 150pts (-12)
2 Mournfang Cavalry w/ Musician, Heavy Armour, Ironfists @ 150pts (-18)
1 Gorger @ 90pts (-4)
1 Sabertusk @ 21pts (-2)
1 Stonehorn @ 250pts (-15)
1 Ironblaster @ 170pts (-23)
Total Army Cost – 2,397pts
Comp Score: 10.3
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My humble overview of these lists and the order I would put them in based purely on list design is Matthew, Tom, Al, Lorenzo although between the bottom 3 there isn't much in it and all the lists have given me ideas (and validated some of my own thoughts!). I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens on the day! Best of luck to everyone going, Iets get a Master's win for the Ogres!