With the actual review now completed, Saramoff takes a look at a couple of sample Ogre armies.
A lot has changed with regards to how you build Ogres and what you can really do with them. You can even have several different types of armies that operate differently, it all depends how you want your army to focus. Always remember to try and keep things balanced; a good army is able to take on everything with a degree of success, a bad army forces the enemy to have to deal with it.
Let's start with something you may have never thought possible, the Ogre Gunline.
Bruiser: Battle Standard Bearer, Brace of Ogre Pistols - 140
Butcher: Dispel Scroll, Trickster's Shard, Level 2 - 185
6 Ogre Bulls: Full Command, Ironfists - 222
6 Ogre Bulls: Full Command, Ironfists - 222
30 Gnoblars: Full Command, Trappers - 125
30 Gnoblars: Full Command, Trappers - 125
6 Leadbelchers: Bellower - 268
6 Leadbelchers: Bellower - 268
5 Leadbelchers: Bellower - 225
5 Maneaters: Scout/Sniper, Brace of Ogre Pistols, Full Command - 340
Ironblaster - 170
Ironblaster - 170
2460
No doubt somebody else could give you better magical item loadouts than this. You lack some of the heavier magic you can get access to, but you sacrifice it for shooting power. 12 leadbelchers are backed up by 2 great cannons, as well as the mandatory Wizard sniping maneaters to help you out. They also can be used to bolster your existing firepower. Both Bruisers get a brace of ogre pistols too, to help you out. Your magic defence is the lone butcher however and a dispel scroll, so by all means you want to be shredding the enemy as quick as possible.
You're not even that static, with everything being able to move and shoot to some degree. Each Leadbelcher unit can pump out 6-36 shots a turn (Or 5-30 on the 5 man), with your maneaters able to give you 5-10. With 40 points spare, you can add in a lone sabertusk or another bull, depending on what you need or prefer.
Next up, we have a Beast Themed list. This list emphasises hunters and lots of animals, using them to deadly effect. With big beasts and numbers, they can really swing a battle. Remember, you need a min of 25% core, so excuse the bulls and whatnot.
Hunter: Stonehorn, Harpoon Launcher - 390
Hunter: Harpoon Launcher - 140
Butcher: Level 2, Dispel scroll, Trickster's Shard - 185
6 Ogre Bulls: Full Command, Ironfists - 222
6 Ogre Bulls: Full Command, Ironfists - 222
30 Gnoblars: Full Command, Trappers - 125
30 Gnoblars: Full Command, Trappers - 125
4 Mournfang Cavalry: Full Command, Dragonhide Banner, Heavy Armour, Ironfists - 360
9 Sabertusks - 189
1 Sabertusk - 21
1 Sabertusk - 21
1 Stonehorn: Harpoon Launcher - 250
1 Thundertusk: 250
2500
This list is fast and does well in close combat. Your ogre bulls are there to engage side threats and your gnoblars protect you from counter charges. Meanwhile, your Mournfang Cavalry runs straight into something and flattens it, whilst lone Sabertusks hold up anything and act like your eagles. Your big beasts run into something and hit them with a Thundertusk to make sure they strike first. Sprinkle with liberal applications of Gut Magic and you've got a good, aggressive list.
As I've said before, you can also have a Skrag/Gorger list that functions somewhat differently.
It aims to overwhelm the enemy from all sides with large amount of beefed up Gorgers, with Skrag in the middle running rampart as he buffs everything up madly.
Skrag the Slaughterer: 425
Bruiser: Battle Standard Bearer, Enchanted Shield, Heavy Armour, Dragonhelm - 154
6 Ogre Bulls: Full Command, Ironfists - 222
6 Ogre Bulls: Full Command, Ironfists - 222
30 Gnoblars: Full Command, Trappers - 125
30 Gnoblars: Full Command, Trappers - 125
1 Sabertusk: 21
1 Sabertusk: 21
1 Sabertusk: 21
2 Gorgers: 180
2 Gorgers: 180
2 Gorgers: 180
2 Gorgers: 180
2 Gorgers: 180
4 Leadbelchers: Bellower - 182
2418
82 points to play around with. Your list has decent magic but lacks a dispel scroll. You have some shooting to back up your main force of Bulls and Gnoblars. When Skrag hits combat (and he'll hit like a truck), then the Gorgers start pouring out. Backed up with Skrag's Cauldron and Great Maw buffs, they'll cause chaos and with so many different threats from every direction, it'll be hard for your enemy to eliminate each element you throw at him. If you drop a gorger, you could even fit in an Ironblaster. The biggest weakness is ranged and anti-magic but by being very aggressive, you can deal with it like a sledgehammer.
You'll also notice in each list I've kept the cores the same. In truth, you can go with full bulls, full ironguts, full gnoblars or a mix and match. However, I like bulls as a cheap source of bodies and fighting powers, with Gnoblars to set up early in order to get you more space to deploy, on top of having excellent flank protection with trappers. Change it how you see fit, as the different core elements work differently.
As well in these lists, you'll find they're quite special heavy. Most of the good stuff in Ogres are located here, as well as ways to make different 'themed' list. It's not that your core is bad, which it isn't, it's a simple case of these specific armies working better with more specials. Your beasts are there, so are your shooting units and your gorgers.
The Ogre book does have a surprising amount of flexibility in how you make your lists. I wouldn't be surprised to see full gnoblar armies, even though having a core of LD5 bodies everywhere is asking for panic tests. Otherwise, see what you can make up.
