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Hey all,
I have played only one game in 1st Ed and am trying to get into a slow-grow league here for the new year. I've painted a lot but I haven't really played much. The problem I have is that I do not have a strategic mind. I'm the kind of player who likes to roll dice and move plastic soldiers, and my experience with more technical armies like Eldar in 40K have not gone well. So I'm trying to figure out what will work with me in AoS technically, and aesthetically. I have some half-built armies just because I was interested in painting them, so maybe I could build off of one of them. Or start with something fresh. I'd prefer not to pick up something potato-tier, as I would actually like to win sometimes.

I have Ironjawz: 40 hardboyz, 3 gruntas, one megaboss, one warchanter, one shaman.

I have Nighthaunt: 6 hexwraiths, 4 spirit hosts, one Thorns of The Briar Queen

I have Sylvaneth: 16 dryads, one Treelord, 2 branchwych, 1 branchwraith, one drycha, one Wyldwood

I have one Start Collecting box of Seraphon.

...
I am interested in the aesthetics of the Kharadron Overlords, but I have none. I have also considered Skaven. I was interested in playing Bonereapers, but apparently everyone and their sister is running those. I'm actually interested in any counters to Bonereapers.

Thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Honestly, Sylvaneth would be the easiest from what you have but, you'll want to get 4-5 units of Kurnoths, some more Dryads (you want 50 at least, 3x10 and 2 for summoning, 60 would be better) and at least 2 boxes of terrain trees.

The idea is to have your 3 HQ's (1 to cast more Dryads, your Drycha and Tree lord ancient) your 3 battleline of Dryads, and then as many Kurnoths as you can get, which would be 5 for you.

Your Kurnoths can either shooting or melee, i would at least do 2 of shooting, and then pick the weapon you like more, either swords for more attacks or scythes for more rend, i would do both, but keep in mind that scythes are also 2", so having 1 is good.


Something like

Branchwraith for casting Dryads
Treelord Ancient
Drycha
Dryads
Dryads
Dryads
Kurnoths bows
Kurnoths bows
Kurnoths swords
Kurnoths swords or scythes
Kurnoths scythes

Start with a tree set on the table, then summon a free one from the hero.

Basically just march up, us trees to teleport and summon Dryads every turn. Keep your Branchwraith in the tree to hide (b.c they block LoS).

Its easy to play and kinda fun, its not super OP so your opponents will have good games too, but at the same time you are kinda tough so you won't die to fast.

I would say that you are a start Collecting box and a Maw-krusha away from having a very good Ironjawz army.
Right now they are a very straight forward, fast and hard hitting army that can win you a lot of games.

That list would look like this:

Ironsunz

1 Megaboss on Maw-Krusha
- Sunzblessed Armour
- Right Fist of Dakkbad
- Boss Choppa and Rip-toof Fist
- Weird 'Un (or Mean 'Un)

1 Wartchanter
- Killa Beat

1 Wartchanter
- Get 'Em Beat

1 Weirdnob Shaman
- Shamanic Skullcap
- Da Great Big Green Hand of Gork

15 Ardboys
- Ardboy Boss
- Standard Bearer
- Waaagh! Drummer
- 6 Shields

15 Ardboys
- Ardboy Boss
- Standard Bearer
- Waaagh! Drummer
- 6 Shields

5 Ardboys
- Ardboy Boss
- Standard Bearer
- Waaagh! Drummer
- 2 Shields

5 Ardboys
- Ardboy Boss
- Standard Bearer
- Waaagh! Drummer
- 2 Shields

6 Gore-Gruntas
- Gore-grunta Boss
- weapons are to taste

Ironfist Battalion

1990pts

I second the Ironjawz. Really straightforward and seem quite good too. Some nice models as well.

Looks like I'm the closest to ironjawz.
I just shudder to paint more yellow.

I guess I could do both. While Ironsunz would probably be the most difficult to paint, it looks like I don't have much left to do.
Getting five boxes of kurnoths is gonna get expensive. But another wyldwood and a couple of boxes of dryads is affordable.

And it looks like the battleline units of Nighthaunt isn't too bad either.

I will probably start with Ironjawz, since it will be the least expensive. But, should I not get a box of brutes? Is it going to be a problem that the shaman is the only ranged unit?

Once I get finished with this Seraphon box set I think I'll choose a box of one of the two and get moving on that. It will help me get a casual league 2K point army quickly. I appreciate the advice! I'm willing to hear other suggestions but I think I now have an idea of where to start.

You don't need to paint them yellow, any color you want man!

I actually try to convince myself to do stuff like that. But all of my Ironjawz are currently yellow and I want them to match. I'm a painter first and a player second, and I want my dudes parade-level.

joewarhost wrote:
I will probably start with Ironjawz, since it will be the least expensive. But, should I not get a box of brutes? Is it going to be a problem that the shaman is the only ranged unit?

You could get Brutes. I play with 10 of them but what i wrote you is a bit better and will cost you less money.

It is not a problem at all. For the most part i charge 2-3 units in turn 1 so range is not a problem. You use the shaman to teleport your ardboys around the table and charging them in where you need them to.

Not having ranged units could be an issue if you play against Bonereapers - if the list is somewhat meta. But everyone struggles to beat a decent Bonereapers player right now. Outside of that it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

Should I pick up the endless spells for Sylvaneth or Ironjawz?

joewarhost wrote:
Should I pick up the endless spells for Sylvaneth or Ironjawz?

Yes, of course.
1) Just because they look cool.
2) They're often effective game wise.

Stux wrote:Not having ranged units could be an issue if you play against Bonereapers - if the list is somewhat meta. But everyone struggles to beat a decent Bonereapers player right now. Outside of that it shouldn't be too much of an issue.

One thing to realise with Reapers is that killing them isn't the only approach. If anything their tough and hard to kill nature makes players learn about stalling and distracting. Ossiarchs can boost their units speed, but not the whole army; whilst their base movement is slow. Most armies against them can secure objectives at least a turn in advance, which puts the Ossiarch player on the downside already.
If you can lock them in combat, slowing up units and stalling them. Then that really hurts their advance. If you can whip around behind them and hit that Harvester so that its got to stop and fight and can't keep up with the mortek guard its buffing and restoring; then all the better for messing with the Ossiarch army.

In the end you might not out-kill them, but you might well beat them by stalling their game plan and thus you win on objectives.

joewarhost wrote:Should I pick up the endless spells for Sylvaneth or Ironjawz?

I would say yes for the reasons noted above. The faction specific spells in general tend to be really good choices for their respective armies. Providing a really nice selection of boosts and options for spells, whilst at the same time sharing the visual design and themes of the army.

Looks like Warclans doesn't have a faction endless spells box. I'll just pick up Sylvaneth.