AoS Tactics for other Armies

Really deadly. I like it!
Shadoblade + assassins is highly efficient.
Doomfire Warlocks are far morescarier than Ogre's maw.
And Hellebron + Executioners can wipe away entire units.
Plus, if you're using Hellebron, you already have the command ability you need, so the dreadlord on dragon is kinda "wasted". Wouldn't it be better to directly field Malekith? he halves the wounds, and with his spell, he delivers mortal wound while healing himself: he's almost immortal!

(now imagine Malekith'd dragon plus a War Hydra)


Going for a different list, you can really optimize mortal wounds delivered by executioners... with the formation of the exiled blood cult, you can deliver mortal wounds also with to wound rolls, and a master with battle standard and Standard of Murder, can really help in that. Of course, you should use also witch elves, but the Cauldron is really made to work with them.

 

As already said in this thread, Orcs & goblins are so many, that you can field a bunch of different armies, without (almost) the need to repeat models.
We already have discussed night goblins and forest goblins, so it’s time for some orcs.
As for their lesser cousins, also orcs come in different flavors. We’ll see both of them: the “martial” orcs, and the savage ones.

ORCS – IRONJAWS BIG MOB (125 wounds)​

These ones are more similar (at least in my mind) to a standard army. Militia, conscripts, and elite troops. This formation is centered upon their best warriors, and let you add 1 to all “to wound” rolls (which is no small thing).

Heroes (total wound: 22)

Orc warboss: you need him with Waaagh! Banner (it let reroll “to wound” rolls of 1 for Orruk units). (6 wounds); he will be your general: orruk units will be frenzied and each model will make an extra attack. (!!!)
Orc Bully: you need him for the warmachines. Those puny goblins are unreliable! (4 wounds)
Grimgor Ironhide: his mere presence will let reroll 1s “to hit” for nearby Black Orcs units. (7 wounds)
Savage orc shaman (5 wounds): I know he’s “savage”, but you need some magical support, and the Foot of Gork is one of the best spells for orcs. I would like at least 2 of them but we’re short on wounds.

Troops (total wound: 68)

Black orcs: these guys are the elite troop of the orcs. Save 4+, 2 wound each, 2 attacks, rend -1…
The formation requires 3 units of them. Pick 2 units of 5 orcs each, and one unit of 24 orcs. With 2 wounds each, this one will be basically a deathstar made of 48 wounds… that hurts a lot:
They hit at 4+ and wound at 3+, BUT if they’re near a Black Orc Big Boss (Grimgor Ironhide), they gain a +1 to hit. Alongside with the bonuses from the Formation, the Banner, the ability of Grimgor, they will hit at 3+ and wound at 2+, rerolling ALL the 1s. And with the command ability of the Warboss, each one of them will deliver 3 attacks.
Even if only 14 of them will be in close combat after the “pile in”, we’re talking about 42 attacks, that will probably end in 32-34 saves.

Warmachines / monsters (total wound: 35)

Giant: I don’t like it (trolls would be far better), but it’s included in the formation. (12 wounds)
Goblins spear chukka (6 wounds) – Rock Lobber (9 wounds) – Doom Diver Catapult (8 wounds): these ones will hit hard, and they cover a wide array of situations, given that they excel against different targets. The chukka will kill heroes, the Lobber will deal with enemy’s hordes, and the Catapult will give you a wonderful range. Place them as a triangle, with the Orc Bully at the center, and enjoy.


Strategy

Brutally simple and easy. As already said, your big hammer unit is the Black Orcs deathstar, buffed by the abilities of your heroes. It should be able to deal with almost anything…. And it will have the support of dangerous heroes: for example, Grimgor Ironhide will have both the bonuses granted by the Banner and the general’s command ability (re-rolls 1s “to wound” and extra attack) and the entire goodies of the formation (+1 to wound, re-roll to hit against heroes or monsters). Once buffed, he’s a scary guy to deal with.
The 2 lesser units of orcs are disposable (think to them as chaff)… the Giant is there just because he’s big and can deal some serious damage in close combat, so he’s potentially threatening and will draw upon himself the enemy’s fire, leaving intact your Deathstar, that is running forward.
The warmachines (the second key to victory) will follow your army with their movement (so you can be sure the spear chukka will be at distance to kill enemy’s wizards) and their main job will be to soften / kill enemy’s shooters and all those units that you may find difficult to engage in CC (your orcs have move 5”, so you could suffer fast units that wants to keep you at a distance).
The shaman will shield the deathstar or will try to stomp someone with the Foot of Gork.


(next to come: Savage Orcs)

 

SAVAGE ORCS – BONESPLITTAS BIG MOB (125 wounds)​

These feral orcs are the wild version of the basic orcs, and that’s an impressive result, by itself.
The peculiar ability of savage orcs, is the warpaint: they all have it, and when they suffer a wound, or a mortal wound, on a 6, they negate it.
The bonesplittas mob exploits the warpaint, adding a +1 to the roll (thus a model will be saved on a 5), and the charging units are frenzied, gaining 1 extra attack with each melee weapon ‘til your next combat phase.
All in all, a powerful formation.

Heroes (total wound: 21)

1 Savage Orc warboss: his command ability will let a bonesplittas unit to make extra attack on each 6 “to hit” roll. With a bone shield you can re-roll saves (5+), but if you fight with a 2handed Stonecleava, you’ll have a rend-2, doing d3 dam.
3 Savage orc shaman (5+5+5 wounds): as said, the Foot of Gork is one of the best spells for orcs. And 3 casters are really nice for support.

Troops (total wound: 68)

Savage orcs: you can give these guys a feral bow (but you cannot count too much on it), or make ‘em more “protect”, with 1 Stone Choppa (or Flint spear) and crude shield.
Crude shield let them re-roll saves (but they only save on 6+).
If a unit has more than 20 models, you can re-roll failed to hit.
For every 10 models, 2 of them can carry a Big Stabba (2 attacks, rend -1, 3 damage. Really nice, you want as many as you can).
The formation requires 3 units of them. Pick 2 units of 10 orcs each (with choppa), and one unit of 30 orcs (with spears) for a total of 50 wounds. The unit of 30 orcs, must be equipped absolutely with crude shields (and 3 Big Stabba).
Savage orc boar boyz: one unit of 9 models (18 wounds) they can have 2 crude choppas (re-rollin 1s “to hit”) or 1 crude Choppas and crude shield (re-rolling saves, even if only 6+). Choose the latter (you’ll see why). The War Boars re-roll failed “to wound”.

Other units: (total wound: 36)

Trolls are amazing. They all have noxious vomit (6”, 3+ to hit, 3+ to wound, rend -2, dam d3), nasty melee weapons, and, most of all, regeneration (on a 2+, they heal d3 wounds in your hero phase). Each kind of troll, have its own special ability.
You’ll pick:
1 unit of 3 “basic” Trolls: save 5+; ability: each time a troll is slain, on a 4+ remains with 1 wound.
1 unit of 3 Stone Trolls: save 4+, but an almost worthless ability (you can keep them for the good save, or double the number of “basic” trolls).
1 unit of 3 River Trolls: save 5+; ability: in CC the enemy must subtract 1 to its “to hit” (this is good, but even in this case, you could simply use another unit of basic trolls)


Strategy

This army doesn’t die.
All you models will have warpaint and, tnx to the formation’s bonus, they’ll have a free save 5+ (unmodifiable) vs wounds (regardless of any rend) and mortal wounds.
Against attacks with no rend, your shaman will cast Mystic Shield upon your big block of Savage Orcs and on your Boar Boyz: tnx to the ability of their shield, they’ll have a save at 5+, rerollable, plus the warpaint. Basically, each model will have THREE SAVES at 5+.
The only units of your army without warpaint, will be the trolls, and they regenerate… and for basic trolls, even if they are dying, you can save them on a 4+ (and a troll with 1 wound is a troll that is going to heal d3 wounds in the next turn).
You can call them “The Immortalz”, ‘cause they’re not going down easily.

And now, focus on the damage:
Boar Boyz are fast, they have bonus on charges and, tnx to the formation, they will do extra attacks both with the orcs and with the boars, rerolling failed to wound and possibly doing extra attacks for each 6 (tnx to your general’s command ability).
The group of 30 frenzied savage orcs, on a charge, will deliver 9 attacks with the Big Stabba, re-rolling all failed to hit (again, command ability for additional attacks on a 6). They are an excellent line-breaker… plus all the other attacks with the spears (again, re-rolling failed to hit).
The Trolls deliver huge damage, with rend -1/-2.
With so many targets that don’t die, you can be almost sure that your shaman won’t be a primary target… and when they’re at range, 3 Feet of Gork will open large holes in almost every unit.

 

Well "they won't die" is an exxageration, but 3 saves are pretty solid.
Let's say your saurus warriors inflict 18 wounds to savage orcs.
With the first save i reduce the amount to 12. Then they go down to 8, then with the warpaint, i save another 2-3.
18 wounds become 5-6 dead.
I'm basically saving 2/3 of your successful "to wound", which is a great result for almost naked troops.
You need a lot of work, to erase my 30 orcs horde, while I severely hurt you with 3 Big Stabba (the last ones to die).

To have a similar level of protection, saurus warriors need mystic shield AND celestial rites.

 

There are so new things in AoS, that probably a good third of the tactics in the previous pages, could be largely improved...