State of the Lists August 2013: Caleb's Lists

Wow, I have not posted an update in a while... I blame myself. Sorry self -- apology accepted, self. Lets post something....

Trollblood Lists:

Since my foray into using pDoomy/Gunny, I've discovered several important things:
1. I really don't like Gunny that much. Fun warlock, but he has some issues that get in the way just a little too much to really savor the experience.
2. pDoomy is solid - more solid than I expected. However, he's got more of a learning curve than I expected as well.
3. Calandra is still by far my favorite Trollblood warlock, and I have more fun in games with her than just about anyone else.

So, that being said, here is my current top 5 list of Warlocks I plan on using more often:
1. Calandra
2. pDoomy
3. Jarl Skuld
4. eDoomy
5. eGrim

The last 3 are new to me - I have eDoomy but not Jarl or eGrim (yet), but I like how they play and I want to give them a good shot. Here are the rough lists I've been/will be using in the near future:


Calandra 50pts
Calandra Truthsayer, Oracle of the Glimmerwood (*5pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Krielstone Bearer and 5 Stone Scribes (4pts)
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder (1pts)
Pyg Bushwackers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts) (10pts)
* Skaldi Bonehammer (3pts)
Trollkin Warders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (8pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)

My Calandra lists are always the most in-flux, as I  tend to try out new things with her. This is no exception - forward line of Champs AND Warders, followed up by 2 heavies, and Bushwackers to make a nuisance of themselves. This is one massive brick, and should present a wall of high-ARM Weapon Masters and Beasts. The one issue I have with it is that there might not be enough shooting - I'm tempted to drop the EBDT for a Bomber, but we'll have to see how this incarnation works first.

pDoomy 50pts

Hoarluk Doomshaper (*7pts)
* Pyre Troll (5pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Krielstone Bearer and 5 Stone Scribes (4pts)
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder (1pts)
Trollkin Long Riders (Leader and 2 Grunts) (7pts)
Trollkin Runeshapers (Leader and 2 Crew) (4pts)
Trollkin Warders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (8pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)
Horthol, Long Rider Hero (5pts)

I used the pDoomy list in a game vs Caleb-1 (my nominal counterpart at the game store, myself being Caleb-A), and it performed well - however, when I started writing up the battle report, it looks like Caleb-1 was playing about 10 points short, so I'm going to hold off on the battle report for now. Regardless, it was a fun list, and seems to have a lot of potential - pDoomy has 2 useful upkeep spells (Fortune and Banishing Ward) that help the (already pretty self-sufficient) Warders and Long Riders, and with Rampager, Stranglehold (spells) and Runeshapers in there for some board control and his feat to keep the really dangerous focus/fury users at bay when needed, it's a pretty direct list.


Jarl Skuld
Frequent 4+Tough contributor Ben (aka MacBen aka Our Merc Friend aka Mr.'Why are we making up funny names again?') likes Jarl, and I've let him use my models to proxy a Jarl army once or twice. However, the more I look at him, the more I like him - the movement bonuses are pretty huge, I am seriously digging the LOS-blocking feat, and he's running around with enough built-in tricks to be pretty survivable as a mid-range support warlock.

Since I have literally no experience with either eDoomshaper or Jarl, I'm giving them 35pt lists as well.

Here are some lists:

Jarl Skuld 35pts Option 1
Jarl Skuld, Devil Of Thornwood (*6pts)
* Storm Troll (5pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
Trollkin Fennblades (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Trollkin Fennblade Officer & Drummer (2pts)
Trollkin Long Riders (Leader and 2 Grunts) (7pts)
Horthol, Long Rider Hero (5pts)

Caleb-1 pointed out the other day that Longriders aren't best suited to the flank protectors or 2nd line hitters I've been using them for, and might honestly work best as a straight up down-the-middle sledge-hammer. In this case, the Fenns and Long Riders go side-by-side, advancing until they get a good angle for a charge, and one can support the other -- Long Riders charge in against heavy or tightly packed infantry and Fenns followup with a jam, or Fenns jam basic infantry while Long Riders maneuver to pick off the stragglers. 

Jarl Skuld 35pts Option 2

Jarl Skuld, Devil Of Thornwood (*6pts)
* Pyre Troll (5pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
Pyg Bushwackers (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
Trollkin Long Riders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (11pts)
Horthol, Long Rider Hero (5pts)

Same philosophy, but dropping the Fennblades for min Bushwackers, full Long Riders, upgrading the Mauler to an Earthborn, and swapping in a Pyre Troll for that tasty damage buff. We'll see which one I end up liking... might honestly be the 2nd.

Jarl Skuld 50pts Option 1
Jarl Skuld, Devil Of Thornwood (*6pts)
* Pyre Troll (5pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Dire Troll Bomber (10pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts) (10pts)
* Skaldi Bonehammer (3pts)
Trollkin Long Riders (Leader and 4 Grunts) (11pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)
Horthol, Long Rider Hero (5pts)
Stone Scribe Chronicler (2pts)

This one is a bit of a different take - a Bomber and company to deal with infantry, and Champs and Longriders to deal with virtually everything else! Full Long Riders and a bomber might just be overkill in that category, so here's list option 2:

Jarl Skuld 50pts Option 2

Jarl Skuld, Devil Of Thornwood (*6pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts) (10pts)
* Skaldi Bonehammer (3pts)
Trollkin Long Riders (Leader and 2 Grunts) (7pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)
Horthol, Long Rider Hero (5pts)
Stone Scribe Chronicler (2pts)

Earthborn AND Mauler (hehehe...) plus Champs and Long Riders. I'm going to have to see which I want as a full unit - Champs for attrition, or Long Riders for a really terrifying first strike...

eDoomshaper
I've been waiting to give this blue bastard a try practically since I started Trollbloods - I love warbeasts, and the prospect of fielding 3 or more heavies in a 35pt list is practically 'squee'-worthy.

eDoomy 35pt
Hoarluk Doomshaper, Rage of Dhunia (*6pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
Lanyssa Ryssyll, Nyss Sorceress (2pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)

3 absolutely murderous heavy warbeasts, whelps to keep them going, and Lanyssa to boost their speed to even more horrendous levels. Oh, yes please! Lanyssa is a bit of a wild card in this list - for 2 points, I might be better off with a Runebearer, or (drop the EBDT) Rok and Swamp Gobbers, or even possibly more whelps, but I'm going to give her a shot. This is mainly due to one very important factor -- with her, Mulg has a 16" threat range (4" SPD + 3" feat + 3" charge +2" Rush/Transmute + 2" Hunter's Mark + 2" Reach). Ho-ly $@#%. Out-threat them apples, Gladiator! Combine that with Goad, and Mulg can potentially hit something up to 26" away (granted, that's ludicrously unlikely).

eDoomy 50pt - Option 1 
Hoarluk Doomshaper, Rage of Dhunia (*6pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
* Rök (11pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Krielstone Bearer and 3 Stone Scribes (3pts)
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder (1pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)

This moves beyond "dangerous" and into "just plain silly" territory, but having 4 Dire Trolls in an army just sounds like waaay too much fun to pass up. Rök is off-the-damn-hook dangerous with eDoomy - boosted speed (feat), Wild Aggression (boost all melee attacks, charge for free), Primal (+2 atk & dmg) Goad, and Berserk mean he can chew his way through entire units with ease, and is almost single-handedly a good solution to the problem of how a heavy warbeast army deals with unit spam and high-def. The Krielstone's ARM (and STR) boost make it an auto-include at 50pts, and they make a good backup tarpit and charge-blocker for eDoomy while they're at it.

eDoomy 50pt - Option 2

Hoarluk Doomshaper, Rage of Dhunia (*6pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Earthborn Dire Troll (10pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
* Rök (11pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Krielstone Bearer and 3 Stone Scribes (3pts)
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder (1pts)
Trollkin Runeshapers (Leader and 2 Crew) (4pts)
Janissa Stonetide (3pts)
Lanyssa Ryssyll, Nyss Sorceress (2pts)
Troll Whelps (2pts)

This list is a little more toned down - dropping the Mauler, but gaining Runeshapers, Janissa, and Lanyssa. This gives me a few things: more protection for Doomy (rock wall, plus Steady LOS/charge blockers), a better ranged game, more Magic Weapons, and more of a threat range.

eDoomy 50pt - Option 3 (the Crazy Option)
Hoarluk Doomshaper, Rage of Dhunia (*6pts)
* Troll Axer (6pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
* Mountain King (20pts)
* Mulg the Ancient (12pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Krielstone Bearer and 3 Stone Scribes (3pts)
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder (1pts)
Janissa Stonetide (3pts)

I... really, really want to try this list.


The Hunters Grim
It's going to be a while before I venture into Hunters Grim territory (mainly because the lovely folks at Trollblood Scrum are expected to release a full-blown community-supported Academic Tactica on him pretty shortly...), but here's my take on a 50pt list for him:

eGrim 50pts

Hunters Grim (*4pts)
* Troll Impaler (5pts)
* Dire Troll Bomber (10pts)
* Dire Troll Mauler (9pts)
* Trollkin Runebearer (2pts)
Pyg Bushwackers (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
Trollkin Fennblades (Leader and 9 Grunts) (8pts)
* Trollkin Fennblade Officer & Drummer (2pts)
Trollkin Scattergunners (Leader and 5 Grunts) (5pts)
* Trollkin Scattergunner Officer & Drummer (2pts)
Fell Caller Hero (3pts)

I've proxied the Hunters Grim in a single game so far, but I like how they hold up. The warlock unit is a bit tricky to get used to, especially considering they end up doing so freaking much just on their activation alone - knockdown gun, Grim's gun, trapper AOE, spells, movement, reform... there's a lot going on there, and it can be hard to keep track of it all.

What I'm most looking forward to is a good use for my Scattergunners + UA -- Mark Target, Mortality, and Mirage are all fantastic with them, and they go well with the Fennblades leading the charge. Ordinarily I'd focus more on ranged, but that would leave a distinct lack of heavy hitters, and since my primary opponent is Skorne, not having a solution to heavy warbeasts is out of the questions. Hence, the humble Mauler yet again finds a place in this list over the Pyre Troll.

Going forward, I'd love to swap out the Fennblades for Burrowers - not only would it give me 4 more points to play around with, but the Burrowers (like Bushwackers) are flat out perfect for eGrim (improved damage, improved accuracy AND range, lowered defense/arm with a spell, support with a good solid knockdown gun, and more). Until then, we'll see how this list does.


So, there we have it -- Caleb's State of the Lists. I'm going to be giving at least one of these lists a try tonight (probably a 50pt Jarl, and maybe an eDoomy!) so expect a battle report in the next few days.

Thanks for reading!