AoS Shorts: Your Essential Guide to Age of Sigmar

Orruk Warclans

Hey all, so the new Orruk Warclans battletome is up for pre-order next weekend, revamping the Ironjawz and Bonesplitterz for Age of Sigmar Second Edition . First previewed at the Warhammer World Open Day in July, it is will see an expansion of options for green-skinned Destruction players.

Here I’ll be doing my usual thing and compiling all the information about the new release as and when the information drops. Just what you need to know, without click-bait, obnoxious ads or pop-ups.

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Age of Sigmar

Orruk Warclans Battletome

The Orruk Warclans battletome contains allegiance abilities and sub-factions for the Ironjawz and Bonesplitterz, as well as for a combined force called the Great Waaagh! Each will have their own spell lores, command traits, mount traits, and artefacts.


Ironjawz Allegiance Abilities

Ironjawz got a massive boost with their General’s Handbook 2019 abilities, so it will be interesting to see how that translates into the new battletome.


New battle trait

Free movement out of phase if you take casualities and are more than 9″ away from the enemy. NB: it even applies if you have done the damage yourself with an endless spell, terrain feature or artefact 🙂


The Big Waaagh!

The Big Waaagh is a new set of allegiance abilities that allows you to combine Ironjawz and Bonesplitterz in one horder.

  • you generate Waaagh! points every turn
  • Warchanters, Wardokks and Wurrgog Prophets all provide Waaagh! points
  • you can also generate Waaagh! points in-game as you charge foes and have your Heroes in combat
  • Waaagh! points are cumulative – Smash’Em kicks in at 16 points, Bash ‘Em at 20.
  • you can spend Waagh! points on abilities, such as boosting spellcasting (at 6 points), adding 1 to charge rolls (8 points)
  • once you use Da Big Waaagh! you roll a dice to see if you lose all your points, have them halved, or stay.
  • Ironjawz Waaagh! and Bonespillterz Waaagh! work differently depending how you build your force.

There is also Waaagh! abilities for Ironjawz and for Bonesplitterz separately. Now part of the allegiance ability rather than the Megaboss warscroll.

  • +1 to attacks unless loads of Orruks near by and then +2

Ironjawz sub-factions

There are a number of sub-factions within the battletome, each with their own ability, command ability, command trait and artefact of power. The example below is for the Ironsunz. As with Stormcast Chambers, these don’t cost.

Da Choppers is a new sub-faction (big in to blue and checks and more Shamany). The sub-faction artefact is the MegaSkull Staff that lets the Shaman General use some of the Megaboss command abilities.


Mount traits on Mawkrushas

  • Loud Un: once per game -1 to hit
  • Weird Un: on a 4+ ignoring spells and abilities affecting the model

Warbeats

Warchanters now have access to prayers called Warbeats.

One is called Get Em Beat. At the start of your charge phase, 1 model that knows this warbeat can use it. If they do so, roll a dice. On a 4+ pick 1 friendly Ironsunz unit wholly within 12″ of this Warchanter. In that phase, you can attempt to charge with that unit if it is within 18″ of the enemy instead of 12″. Roll 3D6 instead of 2D6 when making the charge roll for that unit.


Bonesplitterz Allegiance Abilities

The Bonesplitterz have had a number of changes to match their monster-hunting ethos. For example, when you are in combat with a Monster, you can now choose one of the three following abilities.

Slaying a Monster will make that unit immune to battleshock tests for that turn.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we see the Kunnin Ruk and multiple rounds of extra attack shooting disappear with this new book in favour of something else.

The Warpaint save has now been improved to apply in more circumstances.


Bonesplitterz sub-factions

The Bonesplitterz also have new sub-factions. These look to be a significant game changer for armies like Nighthaunt, ethereal amulet wearers, Morathi and Gotrek because Drakkfoot can ignore all of their key defensive abilities.

The Bonegrinz also have a way to pull enemy units around.


Orruk Warclans Allies

  • Gloomspite Gitz
  • Rogue Idol Warscroll Updated and has all three sets of keywords
  • No Greenskins (Warhammer Legends)
  • Gitmob (who knows in the future – see the Beastgrave Wolfriders)

Orruk Warclans Warscrolls

Some notes from the Warhammer Live Twitch stream:

  • Gordrak/Mawkrushas (more expensive): 
    • Attack profiles streamlined
    • Mighty Fists and Tail are now one combined attack profile. 9 attacks, 3s, 3s, -2, 2 damage
    • Axes are now 5 attacks, 2, 3, -1, 1 or D3 damage + additional damage to wizards or heroes.
    • The Mawkrusha Bellow attack now does 6 attacks, 2s, 3s, -1, 1 damage
    • Destructive Bulk removes cover from a target unit in terrain and does damage to the target unit (mortal wounds on a 5+)
    • Voice of Gork: Gordrak’s Command Ability – all destruction +1 hit
    • Go On Lads Get Stuck In: Normal Mawkrusha Command Ability – Ironjawz +1 to hit
  • Strength From Victory extra attacks and wounds based on any killing enemy models during a combat phase, not just Heroes.
  • Megaboss – if armed with chopper now has one attack profile
  • Mighty Destroyers and Smashin and Bashin still around
  • Ard Boyz – Simplified warscroll. 2 attacks, 3s, 3s, -1, 1 damage
  • Armed to the Teef is back
  • Warchanter – Ability now does +1 damage instead of +1 to hit. Warbeats as prayers.
  • Brutes – Cheaper (140). Claw and choppa now share a weapon profile.
  • No Endless Spells in the book.

Watch Ben Johnson from the Age of Sigmar studio preview the new book here.

And then watch a battle report using the new battletome here.