So having been persuaded/strong-armed/press-ganged/bullied (thanks lads :-) ) into going to Tempest VI: Rampage, which is happening next weekend, I'm now at the point of having to produce a list at short notice. I decided to blog about it so I can explain my thought process. I doubt that this will lead to the most tactically sound list, and I doubt also that it will win many (any?) games - it's just a commentary on what I'm doing and the reasoning behind it.
On account of me being a bag of shite at playing Warhammer, and because the following has become something of a long-standing joke (I once won a one-day 12-player tournament by getting a rule wrong - long story, but it's Dave's fault), I caved in to the demands of certain people *cough* Dave, Jay, Neil, Gill *cough* and I'm using Grimgor Ironhide.
The big guy weighs in at a hefty 350-odd points, but for this he makes his Black Orc posse (which are a compulsory unit choice with Grimgor) much better. They get an extra point of WS, and some nice special rules (since I don't want to fall foul of GW's legal IP-protection brigade, I'm deliberately avoiding specifics here - if you don't know what I'm talking about and want to check, buy an army book!). Actually, Grimgor simply makes Black Orcs worth taking at all - it's an unfortunate situation but Black Orcs are a complete waste of points without Grimgor's buffs.
So Grimgor, plus crew of 31 Black Orcs in their underpants and chainmail with a flag and a drum comes to 725 points.
Obligatory Savage Orc Big 'Un block goes in automatically, but there's a question of whether to use a champion or not - are they worth the points? At Tempest the units are restricted to a maximum of 40 models or 400 points - whichever happens first - so with those restrictions the choice is 33 with full command, or 34 with standard & musician. In the end I opted to include the champion to help protect the Savage Orc Great Shaman (who's going in next) from challenges - just in case.
In goes the Savage Orc Great Shaman now, Level 4, with the Lucky Shrunken Head to help the rest of the Savage Orcs. Tempest rules do away with the percentage system and instead use fixed points limits for the different sections, allowing 750 points for characters. Grimgor plus the shaman leaves 140 points for a BSB. Since I've got Grimgor and a Black Orc unit, I've decided to make the BSB a Black Orc as well. With Charmed Shield, Dawnstone and Ironcurse Icon safely strapped to his utility belt, he rounds off the character allowance squarely on the button.
To fill the minimum core, a couple of infantry blocks will do the job nicely. 30 Orc Boyz with shields, standard and musician is a big chunk, and then 50 night goblins with spears and nets - largely because I need them to make up the minimum! That's a lot of models. Core is finished off with a unit of Wolf Riders (with a full command because they benefit from Tempest's 'Chosen Men' rule - command is free if I take 5 or more!). All together, that's 2057 points, leaving me with 543.
Tempest comp normally means that rare choices cannot be duplicated (i.e. I can only have a maximum of one of each option), but Orcs & Goblins are happily exempt from this rule. Naturally, I'm taking full advantage of this. Two Doom Divers, two Mangler Squigs and a Rock Lobber later, and I'm left with 168 points to spend.
A couple of Goblin Wolf Chariots and a pair of single trolls puts me a few points over the limit. All that's left to do is sacrifice a gobbo to feed 'da ladz', and Grimgor's horde is finished at an irritatingly close 2599 points.
The list (with points costs withheld) is:
Lords
Grimgor Ironhide (must go in the compulsory Black Orc unit)
Savage Orc Great Shaman, Level 4, Lucky Shrunken Head (goes with Savage Orc Big 'Uns)
Heroes
Black Orc Big Boss, Battle Standard Bearer, Charmed Shield, Dawnstone, Ironcurse Icon (goes where he's needed - possibly using the Orc or Night Goblin blocks as a 'bunker')
Core
33 Savage Orcs, Big 'Uns, Boss, Musician, Standard Bearer, Additional Choppas
30 Orc Boyz, Musician, Standard Bearer, Shields
49 Night Goblins, Musician, Standard Bearer, Nets
6 Wolf Riders, Boss, Musician, Standard Bearer, Spears, Shields
Special
31 Black Orcs ('Da Immortulz'), Musician, Standard
Goblin Wolf Chariot
Goblin Wolf Chariot
Troll
Troll
Rare
Doom Diver
Doom Diver
Mangler Squig
Mangler Squig
Rock Lobber
I have absolutely no idea how the list will get on, but it should be fun at least. Famous last words. To get it ready, my painting list isn't that bad this time:
The list (with points costs withheld) is:
Lords
Grimgor Ironhide (must go in the compulsory Black Orc unit)
Savage Orc Great Shaman, Level 4, Lucky Shrunken Head (goes with Savage Orc Big 'Uns)
Heroes
Black Orc Big Boss, Battle Standard Bearer, Charmed Shield, Dawnstone, Ironcurse Icon (goes where he's needed - possibly using the Orc or Night Goblin blocks as a 'bunker')
Core
33 Savage Orcs, Big 'Uns, Boss, Musician, Standard Bearer, Additional Choppas
30 Orc Boyz, Musician, Standard Bearer, Shields
49 Night Goblins, Musician, Standard Bearer, Nets
6 Wolf Riders, Boss, Musician, Standard Bearer, Spears, Shields
Special
31 Black Orcs ('Da Immortulz'), Musician, Standard
Goblin Wolf Chariot
Goblin Wolf Chariot
Troll
Troll
Rare
Doom Diver
Doom Diver
Mangler Squig
Mangler Squig
Rock Lobber
I have absolutely no idea how the list will get on, but it should be fun at least. Famous last words. To get it ready, my painting list isn't that bad this time:
- 20 Savage Orcs (currently 3-colours & based) to be completed (can get away with leaving these as they are if I run out of time)
- 9 Black Orcs (undercoated) to be painted
- 1 Troll (undercoated)
- Movement trays (sanded & basecoated)
- Bases for most of the army need to be finished - but they're all sanded & painted, so it's just a case of adding static grass & slate etc. to give them a bit of texture.
Any thoughts, please comment below!
Cheers
S
