Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Ok, now a lot of people who have Trolls play or have heard of the Madrak Iron Brick, well this is my take on it, using IMO the much nastier Borka Kegslayer:

Army: Borka Brick V1
Type: Skirmish (1 caster, 35pts)
Points: 35

Borka Kegslayer
* Troll Axer
* Dire Troll Mauler

Krielstone Bearer and 3 Stone Scribes
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder

Trollkin Champions (Leader and 2 Grunts)
Trollkin Champions (Leader and 2 Grunts)

Fell Caller Hero
Fell Caller Hero

Trollkin Champion Hero

Or this version

Army: Borka Brick V2
Type: Skirmish (1 caster, 35pts)
Points: 35

Borka Kegslayer
* Troll Axer
* Dire Troll Mauler

Krielstone Bearer and 5 Stone Scribes
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew

Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts)

Fell Caller Hero

Trollkin Champion Hero
Trollkin Champion Hero

Basically, the idea of army is to go up the middle like the Iron Brick, but using the Borka's spells Iron Flesh, to make the Champs into DEF 15, ARM 20 Tough Guys, Mosh Pit to knock stuff down, which with the amount of thresher attacks this army can potentially get is pretty sick and with the amount of Weapon Masters in the army or guys with two weapons and Weapon Master, things can get mighty scary for the opposition. Throw Wind Wall on the champs and add the Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew in the mix and all of a sudden, the Champs become insanely uber.
The Mauler is there to really bash heads and the Axer is there to make the Mauler quicker and to add more Thresher attacks.

Any comments???

It's not a bad list, but for the alternate option, I would take the minimum KSB unit since the brick will be small enough for a small unit to encompass the entire squad.

Wind Wall is a great spell to protect Borka and possibly a retinue of warbeasts, but with the requirement of models needing to be "completely within", my experience has shown it to be less than effective for units. Also, watch out for Iron Flesh. Since it does reduce your SPD by -1, this prevents the unit from charging, so make sure you let the spell expire the round you plan to pop that feat and charge in.

My only real criticism is the lack of anything genuinely hard hitting other than your Mauler. This list seems more built to fight a unit heavy opponent. The Axer for example will only have his single attack when going toe to toe with an enemy Warjack or Warbeast, and will be spending his fury to boost his attack and damage. With Borka, I would consider a Winter Troll. His two attacks and ability to cause stationary fits Borka like a glove, while his spray makes him very effective against units still. It's a good idea to switch this out for a Slag Troll anytime you fight Cryx, cause a spray that causes an extra d6 against non-living models is too good to pass up against an army of undead.

Below is the Borka list I'm currently running and have had a great deal of success with.
Borka
Mauler (this is my fury battery, so every turn I'm running 7 fury after Top Off, that and he's big, mean, and draws a lot of attention)

10 x Fennblades (in the turn Borka uses his feat, these guys have an effective threat range of 13 inches, and that's without a possible Vengeance movement addition, not too shabby)
6 x Krielstone Bearer + Scribes (a staple for any Trollblood army worth anything)
+ Elder Attachement (mostly for Stone Strength, but Spirit Chaser is great against an Incorporeal Cryx list and Combat Warding when fighting the likes of Menoth)
1 x Fell Caller (this is to give Pathfinder and Warcry to the Fennblades)
1 x Chronicler (Tale of Mist is gold and a great way to deter people from even aiming at your Fennblades, Hero's Tragedy when you're engaged)
5 x Champions (this unit operates basically independently, and serves as a guard against anyone attempting to outflank the formation)
1 x Champion Hero (my favorite unit buster, operates with the Champions)

My brick is a little more numbers oriented than yours, but that's just my particular play style.

Nice list yourself.

I've never tried fennblades, might have to I think. My problem is that Champs get more wounds and weapon master for 2 points more. Thats a lot for 2 points.

I totally misread Wind Wall - I thought you could cast it on a unit - DOH!!!

I tried the Winter Troll and was total overkill with the animus and I missed the Axer's animus and uber amounts of destruction he has done for me in the past. Slag Troll however is brutal against non living stuff, he's one of my alternates for Cryx, Jack heavy and Baldur lists.

The thing with Trolls in general is that outside of a Mauler or other heavy, there is little a troll army can do against big stuff. Borka and Madrak are no slouches, but trolls in general need a boost here. The champs on average rolls have dmg on 3d6 + 11 equaling out to 22 DMG, adding 1 from the KSB/SSE for 23 per hit. On a Khador jack for example, thats thirty points of dmg on average rolls from 5 Champs. That leaves only ten which one of the Champ heroes can do easy. Its just a case of unit cooperation. Not too difficult. And if they can do that to a Khador Jack, just think of the dmg on anything else??? Christ - 4d6 on the charge attack ads on another 15 dmg on average rolls :-D

I must admit though, I'm thinking of dropping the Axer and a Champ Hero for a Blitzer, to add in some more punch:

Army: Borka Brick V3
Type: Skirmish (1 caster, 35pts)
Points: 35

Borka Kegslayer
* Dire Troll Blitzer
* Dire Troll Mauler

Krielstone Bearer and 5 Stone Scribes
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder

Swamp Gobber Bellows Crew

Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts)

Fell Caller Hero

Trollkin Champion Hero

Only thing is, I'm worried about my big guys going nuts. Not bad when they are in combat, but really bad when they aint.

As for my other force:

Army: Iron Brick
Type: Skirmish (1 caster, 35pts)
Points: 35

Chief Mardrak Ironhide
* Troll Axer
* Troll Impaler
* Dire Troll Mauler

Krielstone Bearer and 5 Stone Scribes
* Krielstone Stone Scribe Elder

Trollkin Champions (Leader and 4 Grunts)

Fell Caller Hero

Trollkin Champion Hero

Seeing as (with the exception of a second KSB unit) I can run both armies at the same time, I just have to find a use for the following:

Angus
Grissel

Pyre
Slag
Impaler

Thumper

Dannon and Bull
Alten