Example Lists
Queen of the Red Sea: Grissel Bloodsong, Fell Caller 35 pts
Grissel
Bomber
Impaler
Runebearer
Janissa Stonetide
Full Bushwacker
Stone Scribe Chronicler
Full Fennblades +UA
I often tend to build lists with balance in mind, this list is fairly balanced but really lacks a way to deal with heavy armor easily. Its strengths lie in out of activation movement, large threat range, and numerous ways to remove a target. Many may look at this and say "nosrek, this isn't really a melee oriented army, how does Parting the red sea help?". My response would be Grissel's greatest spell is calamity, she needs to be within 8" of an enemy to make this happen. Grissel is queen for a reason, she controls the sea with amazing precision. Hoof it and hallowed avenger make it very hard for the waves to reach her and to top it off my tarpit has vengence.
The first question I ask myself when I run this list is, "What will I do if I go up against some arm 20+ heavies". The trick is, combo from hell. Fennblades can actually kill things, if you do something like calamity with some charge of the trolls. I really like our lights with reach weapons for this reason. It makes it easy to engage an enemy and still leave room for 2-3 (what i manage to do on average) fennblades to go charging in.
Order of activation:
Grissel hits target with calamity and gives heroic ballad to fennblades
Impaler charges in with mat 7 pow 15 (little more respectable)
SSC gives fennblades charge of the trolls
Fennblades charge in now swinging at mat 10 pow 16
Arm 20 target will take an average of 23 damage if you only get 2 fennblades on the heavy. This assumes you only swung once with the impaler and didn't roll any snake eyes on the attack rolls. If you manage to get a 3rd fennblade on the heavy, congrats your averaging 32 damage and just might kill it.
The second question I ask myself is, "What will I do if I face defense ridiculous". This one is actually pretty simple, Bomber. Now bomber can't do it all so there are combo's that can be done. All I need is one Hero's tragedy to fire, and Grissel now has a not snake eyes target to place calamity on. Charge of the trolls isn't worth it on infantry, so Hero's tragedy + vengence auto hits is your best bet. It comes down to trading pawns with your opponent, but hopefully the bomber tips the scale in your favor.
Now just in case anyone is wondering what the bushwackers are doing, well they are prime targets for Hoof it. Hoof it means you can aim with the wackers and still get your move to get the little guys to safety. I feel they do a great job of softening heavies, casters, cavalry, and thinning out the approaching enemy tarpit. When they aim they can pair up for 5 rat 8 pow 12's, which gives me odds I can live with when clearing def 14 and under.
And of course Janissa, many people only see her for her rock wall. Well when your using the parting the red sea strategy she is usually freed up to do other amazing things. Like tectonic shift, armor piercing attacks, and a pretty accurate (especially against a calamity target) pow 14 aoe 3 magic attack. Because your day can be ruined when you play menoth and don't have a way to remove a pesky paladin from a control area.
Hi my name is Trauma: Borka Kegslayer 35 pts
Borka
-Keggy
Mauler
EBDT
Axer
Full Fennblades +UA
Stone Scribe Chronicler
Fell Caller Hero
This is one of my specialized lists it does not really deal with; extreme defense, infantry swarms, or scenarios. This list is the aggressor, when it hits the table most opponents will see a major threat, some will undermine what it can do and later be surprised. This was my first 35 pt list, I have more experience with this specific list than any other. I have seen this list destroyed and I have seen it destroy, through it all I still come back to this specific list.
So how does this list crack high armor, with this list its simple; Borka/Axer combo if needed, Mauler, EBDT. This is what this list is about lots of high powered pissed off trolls ready to kick your teeth in. This is one list where I don't mind trading heavy for heavy since I only need borka and the axer to finish the game.
How does it crack defense ridiculous, it doesn't. Playing Borka taught me many things, one big learning lesson for me was, you don't have to be able to kill defense ridiculous or armor ridiculous models. You just have to tie them up. That's the goal with this list, between the chronicler and Iron flesh your fennblades can pin down whatever is needed for roughly 3 turns.
So now lets get to what the goal is when playing this list.
1. Deny objectives in scenario play
2. Move quickly up the board with plenty of fury and stumbling drunk on Borka
3. Introduce enemy caster to Trauma.
You probably could win a game by scenario with this list, but I use this list with one goal in mind, assassination.
Finally lets look at what stops this list dead in its tracks
1. Upkeep removal, this takes your super infantry screen back down to a normal infantry screen.
2. Models that ignore free strikes
3. Anything that slows movement, this list is so heavily dependent on its movement, if that gets taken away it becomes an uphill battle.
There are of course more scenarios that make life hell for any list but this is just a general run down.
Grim Angus, Life without an Impaler
Grim
*Mulg
*Axer
Fell Caller Hero
Bushwhackers 10 man
Stone Scribe Chronicler
Fennblades 10 man
*UA
I will start by saying feel free to swap out the fell caller for Janissa if you feel naked out in the open. I don't believe this is the "best" way to play Grim Angus, I really don't have anything against the impaler, sometimes I wish I had two impalers with grim. However, this is a "different" way to play Grim and I hope someone out there will enjoy it as much as I do.
So I am sure someone will notice that this looks similar to the Queen of the Red Sea list, especially if your running Janissa. I like Grim and pGrissel for the same reasons, they are the ultimate toolbox casters. So naturally I play them with toolbox units/beasts/ and solo's. Fennblades give me the most flexibility in terms of tarpit, bushwhackers give me completely independent offensive support, the fell caller is my leatherman ready for any job I give him, and the SSC adds in just enough to allow my trolls to stick around for a few turns. My battle group is built around bursts of speed, protective fits, and infantry shredding threshers.
The idea behind this list is to place grim in the thick of things. Between Grim's defense, lock the target, and spread the net, its relatively easy to keep grim alive through turn 4. This is more than enough time to either severely cripple your opponent, win by scenario, or head shot your opponent. My favorite thing about Grim Angus is Marked For Death I adapted parting the red sea to Grim just to see if I could make better use of this one particular spell. While doing this I found my second favorite thing about Grim, Lock the Target, with both offensive and defensive uses this spell is a winner.
When I play with the impaler I sometimes feel like I am neutering grim's true potential. I hope a few players will give this a go and see grim in a new light. When you are forced to be closer to the action you will see much better usages of grim's ability. If nothing else you can surprise your opponent by not fielding the impaler.
Here are some of my favorite combo's you can utilize in this list.
Marked For Death + Bushwhackers is an absolutely terrifying thing to behold. Lets pick on Bane Thralls, if at the start of your turn Grim spies a Bane thrall within 14" of him, consider the unit severely crippled or dead. You even have options;
Option 1
Grim moves up 6", pops feat, and tags the nearest bane with MFD. Bushwhackers are now rat 6 and could care less about line of sight. They can use their 20" threat range to absolutely destroy the unit, or at least their front line allowing your tarpit to care deep into your enemies lines.
Option 2
Same as above but spare the feat and use the snare gun for a not snake eyes MFD.
*TIP* if you have lost confidence in your dice or just don't like chancing it pair up the bushwhackers and you can hit and kill on 4's.
Feating + Lock the Target. Especially against higher defense casters this is a great way to line up a kill. It seems like so many high def casters have a way to avoid being knocked down, this is our way around it. Some may see this as a waste, but shutting down place effects (teleport/forest walk) and limiting most casters to moving 3" can mean end game on your next turn.
As always there is the ability to set up a charge of the trolls is greatly enhanced when parting the red sea, but it is further enhanced here since you have TWO reach warbeasts. Meaning your fennblades can spread out the pow 14 pain.
This list has lots of flexibility and I am confident fielding it against almost anything. High def isn't a major issue because of; feat, MFD, mulg tramples, bushwhacker cra, and fenns with war cry. High armor isn't a major issue thanks to with Mulg around and enough fodder/denial to keep mulg breathing.
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