December Listbuilding Challenge – Your Herohammer Lists
The Best Kind Of Relevant
Well we all know what’s in the GHB, and we have for some time, but it’s not officially out until this weekend – which honestly feels kinda weird at this point. What I will say is that I’m super hyped for having Warscroll Builder being ready to rock, because list-building is my own favourite part of the hobby and it’s just not the same without WSB. Adding up numbers on scraps of paper? Lol nope. Using the official app? Yuk.
So if you’re not yet across the deets, Coach is still killing it with his previews:
Anyway, let’s smash into the results of the December Challenge while they are still technically relevant. Given everything we’ve learned about the upcoming season since this Challenge kicked off, we could easily roll it forward and go again with the same Challenge next month, but we won’t – and I’ll come to that later. And in fairness, all of these lists could still be interesting in this brave new world we live in – the small heroes will help you win games, and they get some extra tech to play with, so with a minor tweak or two you’d be up and away.
Ready? Let’s go.
List of the Month: Orkmann, Gloomspite Gits
A legend in green, Orkmann has been smashing out the wins with Destro on TTS for 3 years now. Orkmann comes from Hungary, which has a small local scene, so he still reps on TTS regularly, and has gone on to represent Australia as a Merc at Worlds 2022. Orkmann has some heavyweight IRL credentials, having won the 50-player End Times GT in Czech Republic with Bonesplittaz* as well as picking up a 5-0 with Kruleboyz at the Brotherhood teams event in the UK.
Orkmann: Let me present you the most powerful wizard trio of the Mortal Realms: the Lunatiksson brothers!
Allegiance: Gloomspite Gitz – Option: Grimscuttle Tribes – Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak – Triumphs:
Leaders Ragnar Lunatiksson (110)* Loonboss on Giant Cave Squig – General – Moonclan Stabba – Command Trait: Loon-touched – Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact) – Lore of the Moonclans: Itchy Nuisance – Lore of the Moonclans: The Hand of Gork Knutti Lunatiksson (85)* Webspinner Shaman – Lore of the Spiderfangs: Sneaky Distraction – Lore of the Spiderfangs: Curse of da Spider God Harold Lunatiksson (80)* Madcap Shaman – Artefact: Moonface Mommet – Lore of the Moonclans: Vindictive Glare – Lore of the Moonclans: Itchy Nuisance Blue (95)** Fungoid Cave-Shaman – Lore of the Moonclans: Squig Lure – Lore of the Moonclans: The Hand of Gork Red (95)** Fungoid Cave-Shaman – Lore of the Moonclans: Call da Moon – Lore of the Moonclans: The Hand of Gork Yellow (95)** Fungoid Cave-Shaman – Lore of the Moonclans: The Great Green Spite – Lore of the Moonclans: The Hand of Gork
Battleline 20 x Shootas (120)*** – 3x Barbed Nets – 1x Badmoon Icon Bearers 20 x Shootas (120)*** – 3x Barbed Nets – 1x Badmoon Icon Bearers 30 x Squig Hoppers (540)**** – Reinforced x 2
Units 6 x Rockgut Troggoths (290)**** – Reinforced x 1 5 x Spider Riders (90)* 5 x Spider Riders (90)**
This is a list designed to reaffirm the Gitz as a proper magic dom faction, just like in the old days.
Our General has +2 to cast, so turn 1 if he stays away out of unbind range, he needs only a 4+ to cast the Cogs
Cogs are then placed behind the Loonshrine so the enemy can’t dispel it due to lack of Line of Sight
Spell Lore Enhancement to unlock all the damage spells
Hoppers are the anvil: near impossible to take them off in one turn via shooting, and rallying on a 4+ near the Shrine
And if someone comes close to them, their mortal wound output is very scary
Spiders are for fast screens / throwaway units
Troggs for the counter punch, Shootas just to sit on objectives
Grimscuttle Tribe just for the memes
My thoughts
You know you’ve got a livewire on your hands whenever they take a Spell Lore Enhancement, and Orkann doesn’t disappoint. Casting bonuses and rerolls across the board make this army ready to unleash an unexpected mortal wound barrage from the Endless Spells and Lore spells combined – noting that the Fungoids can all double cast once per game.
Plenty of screens, plenty of punch, loads of bodies and mortal wounds out the whazoo. The Little Waaagh is ready for war, and you’ll underestimate this army at your peril. Well done mate.
Allegiance: Kharadron Overlords – Sky Port: Barak Mhornar – Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs – Triumphs: Inspired
Leaders Arkanaut Admiral (125)* – General – Command Trait: Opportunistic Privateer – Artefact: Hammer of Aethermatic Might Aetheric Navigator (85)* – Artefact: Galeforce Stave Endrinmaster with Endrinharness (95)* – Artefact: Cogmonculus Endrinmaster with Endrinharness (95)** Endrinmaster with Endrinharness (95)** Endrinmaster with Endrinharness (95)**
Battleline 10 x Arkanaut Company (90)* 10 x Arkanaut Company (90)** 10 x Arkanaut Company (90)
Units 10 x Grundstok Thunderers (270) – Reinforced x 1 1 x Grundstok Gunhauler (155) – Main Gun: Drill Cannon 1 x Grundstok Gunhauler (155) – Main Gun: Drill Cannon
Behemoths Arkanaut Ironclad (490) – Main Gun: Great Volley Cannon – Great Endrinworks: The Last Word
Isaac: I’ve placed a major narrative restriction here – only one Admiral in THIS fleet. Sure, I absolutely could load the boat with Admirals and probably win 65% more games, but that is TOO FAR!
I’m also going to admit ahead of time, this list may be a little borderline in terms of the Challenge. Very borderline. The Ironclad is as big of a star as the heroes. Maybe a bigger star. I’ll let you be the ultimate judge of that.***
How it works
Before the first battle round, I make use of the Opportunistic Privateers command trait to pick up my Ironclad (containing 6 heroes and 10 Thunderers), and plop it 9″ away from the juiciest target in your army. You decide you’re going to put an end to this silliness ASAP and get lunch early, and charge into the Ironclad with your wildest melee threats.
But wait! The Navigator has halved your charge distance! Okay, no matter, this is why you’ve brought multiple melee threats. Your second wildest melee threat charges in, I declare Unleash Hell and batter it with Ironclad attacks. Last Word lets me shoot my turret a second time, doing even more damage. And then, in the actual combat phase? My Admiral pops the Barak Mhornar Artycle that allows a unit to fight first once per game, and hits you with 3 2+/2+ (you’re probably a Monster or Hero, so I get bonuses) -2 3D attacks that do mortals on 6s to hit. Hopefully I’ve bracketed you if not outright killed you at this point.
Then, one by one, each of the heroes gets to smack down on what you’ve thrown at me with their massive hammers (unmodified 6s to hit deal 3MWs (!), and the Cogmonculus gives one of them a re-roll per phase to fish for those big crits). If you try to kill them first, they are at -1 to be hit and +1 to save for being garrisoned in the ‘clad.
On my own turn, the Endrinmasters heal up whatever damage you might have dealt to the Ironclad and the Gunhaulers Fly High to provide it with a 6+ ward/ screen/ Drill Cannon support. The Ironclad then flies around charging the Hammer Hit Squad into your meanest threats until you’ve got nothing left.
Most likely you’ve cleared out my backline of Arkanauts at this point and have massively won on primary but hey, 6 stunties in a boat just minced your biggest, meanest monsters. I’m sure that’s some sort of moral victory.
Shaun Baldwin
Shaun is a long-term reader of the blog who has been playing AOS casually with mates for around 18 months. Shaun has about 11,000 points of Destruction at home: Ironjawz, his beloved Bonesplitterz, Kragnos, Gitz allies and a whole bunch of Kruleboyz that are about to hit the painting table.
Da Basha Bruvaz
Allegiance: Ironjawz – Warclan: Da Choppas – Grand Strategy: Waaagh! – Triumphs: Inspired
Leaders Orruk Weirdnob Shaman (90)* – General – Command Trait: Master of Magic – Lore of the Weird: Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork Orruk Weirdnob Shaman (90)**** – Lore of the Weird: Bash ‘Em Ladz Orruk Megaboss (140)* – Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact) – Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon Orruk Megaboss (140)**** – Artefact: Destroyer Orruk Warchanter (115)* – Warbeat: Fixin’ Beat Orruk Warchanter (115)**** – Warbeat: Killa Beat
Battleline 15 x Orruk Ardboys (255)*** – 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers – Reinforced x 2 5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)*** – 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers 5 x Orruk Ardboys (85)*** – 1x Gorkamorka Banner Bearers
Units 3 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)** (Forgive the choppas in the photos, I’m halfway through painting my hackas units) – Jagged Gore-hackas 3 x Orruk Gore-gruntas (170)** – Jagged Gore-hackas
Shaun: My idea is to use 2 Megabosses as self-buffing wrecking balls, while using the Ardboys as chaff and a big anvil to screen out my opponent (4+ rally will hopefully make the large unit hard to shift). The Gore Gruntas are there as flankers and hammers to take out high value items / help out the Megabosses. Warchanters are there to take advantage of Da Choppas to use Violent Fury on both Megabosses, or 1 Megaboss and all 3 Ardboy units – as well as for a cheeky +1 to wound on a nearby target of choice, and the other to heal the Megabosses as we go…if they live that long.
We’re taking one Weirdnob Shaman with Bash-em Ladz to buff everything in the bubble with +1 to wound, and the other for teleporting shenanigans. If I don’t want to teleport, I’d use mystic shield on one of those Megabosses.
Finally, the Rogue Idol. First and foremost, I really wanted the +1 to cast in order to get Bash-em Ladz off more successfully and help with cheeky teleports. After that, it gives us a back up hammer to get stuck in there. Meanwhile Ravenak’s Gnashing Jaws is my way to get something behind their lines, noting my lack of flying ability and range, as well as potentially another annoying screen for my opponent to avoid.
With only 1945 points used, I’m banking on getting Inspired off most games, so that’s another cheeky +1 to wound if a Megabosss gets isolated,
My ideal turn one is to Flaming Weapon one Megaboss, buff both with Violent Fury, get Bash-em Ladz off on them, and teleport one (probably the Destroyer-equipped one) behind enemy lines. Mighty Destroyers one (both if the teleport didn’t go off) and get them both into combat. I really want to hit big targets as early as possible so if it’s juicy enough, I’d call the Ironjawz Waaagh.
With all of this factored in, that’s hopefully:
1st Megaboss: +1 to charge, 8 attacks, 2+ to hit, 2+ to wound, -2 Rend, Damage 6 (Destroyer)
Coming from Finest Hour with +1 save and +1 to wound, plus All Out Attack
2nd Megaboss: +1 to charge, 8 attacks, 3+ to hit, 2+ to wound, -2 Rend, Damage 3
Possibly hitting on a 2+ too if he’s in range to get a secondary All Out Attack
Provided they kill a model each, Strength From Victory starts to kick in. I’m banking on nuking something well above their points value and if they go on to get killed on my opponent’s turn, fight on death. This still leaves me with the Rogue Idol as my back-up hammer, supported by Gore Gruntas.
I figure it’s going to be a quick game either way. I either nuke what I’m after and go into mop-up mode, or it fails and I waste my best two toys in Turn 1 and probably get hammered in return. Either way, hilarious fun for my buddies and me. Looking forward to giving it a go!
Thanks for all of these lists, thanks to Isaac and Shaun for the cool photos of their armies, and thanks especially to all the people who sent in interesting armies that I wasn’t able to publish. There’s only so many I can realistically print each month, but I didn’t see a bad one, so please don’t be discouraged if yours didn’t feature this time around. Loads of people have had their second or third submissions chosen after the first one wasn’t; so know that it’s nothing personal, the margins are fine and above all don’t be put off from having another crack.
Congrats to Orkmann for winning the challenge, and you my friend (like all winners) are welcome to set the subject for a future challenge of your choice.
I won’t be setting a challenge for January this year, because I’m not ready to commit to following up on it, so the Challenge (and the blog) will remain in hiatus for the foreseeable future. There are currently no concrete plans to get back to posting regularly, but history shows that I can’t stay quiet forever so I’m sure we’ll meet again.
Until then: May Gork bring you strength, may Mork bring you wisdom.
*If you want to see the Bonesplittaz list that…umm….”inspired” Orkmann, you can check it out here.
**Remember that Grimscuttle Tribes is all upside and no downside if you don’t have any Spiderfang heroes. You simply get a magic shrug on the Spider Riders, with no tax.
***Eh I read this list just before Christmas, and was feeling generous. Plus I’m a closet KO fan. Knock yourself out.
One thought on “December Listbuilding Challenge – Your Herohammer Lists”
Man, these are some fantastic Galletian Champs lists! I am definitely not a competitive game-thinker; I’d probably just spam Exalted Champions in Slaves to Darkness….and Mutaliths.
Plastic Craic 
Man, these are some fantastic Galletian Champs lists! I am definitely not a competitive game-thinker; I’d probably just spam Exalted Champions in Slaves to Darkness….and Mutaliths.
LikeLike