Help me pick a list! 1500 points for my local store league!

Okay team, I need your endless wisdom!

So I have returned to fantasy recently and am playing Ogres in a very fun, very interesting league at my local store. It's a variety of play styles, armies, and competitiveness.

I have been doing well (3-1), but I am really on the fence about how to play 1500 points of Ogres.

The league allows for lords at this point level, but our lords are very expensive and I'm not sure if they are worth it. I would love to hear what you all think about this!

Anyway, here's my first list!

Firebelly, Hellheart - 205

Brusier BSB, Enchanted Shield, Sword of striking - 154


Ironguts (6)  FC, Standard of Discipline - 303

Ogres ( Bellower, Standard - 256

Mournfang (4) Bellower, Standard, Dragonhide Banner - 350

Sabertusk - 21
Sabertusk - 21

Ironblaster - 170

1500 points total.

I played this list (actually i didn't have the hellheart, and I had a dispel scroll and a Ruby Ring of Ruin instead) and I didn't do so hot. My battle report is on that section of Ogre Stronghold if you want some details. One of the biggest problems I had is that the Level 4 wizard (gob shaman) was able to totally dominate the magic phases. I struggled the whole game with magic and he was able to do whatever he wants magically. So I added the Hellheart as it's a good equalizer to remove a magic phase or to possibly ruin their magic in total. But against a Level 2 firebelly, it probably won't be enough to really control the magic phase. In other words, It's a risk.

So I rebuilt the list to fit in a SM. I of course, have to give up a lot, so I'm not sure if it's worth it.

Slaughtermaster, Hellheart, Fencer's Blades, level 4 - 370

Bruiser BSB, HA, Enchanted Shield, Sword of Striking - 154

Ogres (11), FC, Lookout Gnoblar, Ironfists - 387

Mournfang (4) Bellower, Standard, Dragonhide - 350

Sabertusk - 21
Sabertusk - 21
Sabertusk - 21

Ironblaster - 170

1494 points total.

What do you guys think?

I am not a list expert. Far from it. In fact, I am not that hot at putting together lists at all; you'd be better getting advice from Jimmy, Ibisson, Phazael, MasteroDisaster and others. However;

looking at this list (the second one) I am thinking you may have allot of eggs in one basket. I may be tempted to reduce the number of Mournfang so you can add in Leadbelchers or consider trading them off for Maneaters instead (depending on who you may be playing).

You have alarge unit of ogres there, have you considered splitting that into a unit of 'guts and a unit of bulls? It would spread out the number of units and, depending on magic items both units can be covered. I would also consider dropping one of them kitties...I doubt that three will do much more than two and the points saved could be used elsewhere.

Having said all that, don't listen to me (in fact never listen to anyone who's starting point for a list is "right, how do I get a giant in this list")...I am the king of losing more games than I have won! There are people here much more qualified than me to help with this list.

G_H

Thank you so much for your reply!

I really feel like 1500 points is a hard seam for Ogres. It's right on the cusp of "level 4 or no".

We have to give up so many bodies to make a decent slaughtermaster.

I thought about splitting up my Ogre Star, but I have had really bad success with small units. I feel it leaves a bit more to dice and luck. I know smaller units are a solid strategy, but it hasn't really worked for me and my play type.

I would love to hear more about what you all think about this!

If you shave off a few points this may work as an all-comers list;

Firebelly - Lvl 2, Ruby ring of Ruin, Dispel Scroll, xhw

Bruiser - BSB, Talisman of Preservation, HA, IF, Warriors Bane (just to get some magical attacks in there)

7x IG - Full command, standard of disc, look out gnob (FB and BSB go here ofc)

17x Gnoblars - Groinbiter, Trapper upgrade

4x ME - Full command, HA, 1x Great Weapon (for champ) 3x XHW, Gleaming Pennant, Scout Swiftstride

3x MFC - Bellower, Standardbearer, HA, IF, Dragonhide Banner

1x Sabretusk

1x Sabretusk

1x Sabretusk

1x Ironblaster

Total 1599,5 pts

Or this is actually within the points limit (so no losing 100pts)

Firebelly lvl 2, ruby ring of ruin, dispelscroll - 205

Bruiser BSB, HA, IF, Talisman of endurance - 168

7x IG Full command, standard of disc - 351

10x Gnoblar, trapper upgrade - 50

4x Maneater, Full command, 3x xhw, 1x GW (on champ), Gleaming pennant, scout, swiftstride - 268

3x MFC Bellower, standard of swiftness, HA, IF - 245

1x Sabretusk - 21

1x Sabretusk - 21

1x Ironblaster - 170

Total - 1499

Neither of these lists are mine, but from members of the stronghold.

G_H

Haha, I was looking at those lists thinking they looked very familiar.

The second lists works really good if you have an agressive and pro active attitude with your ogres. You can switch up the kit on the FB. Hell heart is really nice, but the dispelscroll offers some more security for less points imo.

I'm always banging my head against 1500 points! I must have rewritten these lists about 20 times now.

The Firebelly is great at killing chaff, softening up units, etc. The best way to do that is to chuck a few fireballs, or damage spells. So the best build is a level 2 FB, RRRuin, and perhaps a scroll. However, I find him greatly under matched against level 4 wizards. So then I think, "A hell Heart has a solid chance of being the rock that brings Goliath down". What I mean is that it's a 50 point item that could turn a level 4 into a manageable foe for my Firebelly in the magic war.... but then I don't have the other stuff...

I'll echo what everyone has said.  You need to either pick a level 4 and BSB, or just go a solo character and be done with it and take more bodies on the field.  Going two characters however will leave you very light on and the characters and that unit will have to do some very heavy lifting to ensure you don't get a draw.

I could be wrong but are you allowed a bruiser BSB with a firebelly as your general?

Firebelly is LD7 and Bruiser LD8 and the highest LD must be your army general but BSB cant be General. To take bruiser BSB you need Tyrant, Slaughter master or another Bruiser to be the General?

This is same for Wight Kings (LD9) and Master Necromancers (LD8). The necro has to be general as need to have wizard with lore of vampires as general so wight king cant be general so cant be taken?

That's a fascinating, and very helpful perspective. I never considered it Owain, but I think you are 100% right. Unless there's something I'm missing, I think I need a SM/Tyrant/Bruiser if I take a BSB.

Not quite.  BSB can never be the general so it falls to the next character (excluding any Hunters).