Hello and welcome to my coverage of the top Legions of Nagash lists currently on the tournament scene for Warhammer Age of Sigmar. I’ve collated, compared and contrasted these lists so that you at home can see what are the most common units and list designs for Legions of Nagash (as at 9 November 2018). Whether you are trying to build a Legions of Nagash army for yourself, or preparing to play against them at your next event, I hope this page helps. Over time, I’ll also be adding pages for the other top factions in Age of Sigmar.
For more Legions of Nagash coverage, check out my battletome review and the great Warhammer Weekly coverage. You can also check out more top tournament lists in the tournament list archive.
As always, check out Dark Fantastic Mills for great 3D printed terrain perfect for wargaming. DFM has an excellent death-themed range, called Necrosia, which could be right up your alley. Its super versatile and light so worldwide shipping is inexpensive. Use the “aos shorts” discount code for a further 10% off the already decent prices and also help support the site. You’ll find pictures of the Necrosia range at the bottom of this article.
Commonalities in Top Legions of Nagash Lists
For this review, I looked at the top Legions of Nagash lists at the Blood and Glory AoS GT (166 players), the AoS Grand Tournament Final (60+ players), Dragon Fall GT (30+ players in the US), and Angelcore (~30 players, but a strong field in London). Legions of Nagash is on a definite high at the moment as Legions of Nagash armies took all three podium places at Blood and Glory.
So what are the similarities and differences?
- The Grand Host of Nagash and Legion of Sacrament are the most popular allegiances
- Shyish is the most popular realm
- The most commonly selected spells are:
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- Amethystine Pinions (+5″ to caster’s move and can fly)
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- Amaranthine Orb (D6 mortal wounds around a 12″ line from the caster)
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- Overwhelming Dread (-1 to hit and -1 bravery)
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- Fading Vigour (-1 attacks and can only charge using one dice)
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- Vile Transference (D3 mortal wounds, and healing own unit)
- Nagash himself remains very popular, with honourable mentions to Arkhan and the Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon.
- Necromancers are ever present as you would expect as a support caster
- Battleline units are primarily small units of Dire Wolves, with the occasional Chainrasp Horde or large block of Skeleton Warriors
- Large blocks of Grimghast Reapers are ever present since the Nighthaunt release – large cheap blocks, a strong combat unit, and able to be resurrected with command points once destroyed.
- Umbral Spellportal remains the Endless Spell of choice with Nagash.
You can find the spreadsheet comparing the lists here or click on the picture below. Green items appear in a majority of lists, yellow appear in 2 lists and the orange items only appear once.
Now let’s look at the individual lists in more detail.
Russ Veal – Legion of Sacrament list
Russ Veal (@Russ_Veal) is one of the most successful Warhammer players that the UK has ever known and an official GW playtester. He recently came first at the 166 player Blood and Glory AoS GT in Derby, UK.
The key differences of Russ’ list compared to the others is the combination of Arkhan and a Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon instead of Nagash. Arkhan is a powerful caster and the Vampire Lord as a combat beast with the Doppelganger Cloak (The bearer cannot be chosen as the target of an attack with an enemy melee weapon unless the bearer has made any attacks earlier in the same phase).
The Spirits Hosts and Mortis Engine are also a significant difference adding some resilient models with a large mortal wound bomb from the Engine.
Allegiance: Legion of Sacrament
Mortal Realm: Ulgu
Leaders
Arkhan The Black Mortarch of Sacrament (320)
– General
– Lore of the Dead: Amaranthine Orb (Vampires)
Vampire Lord On Zombie Dragon (440)
– Deathlance & Shield & Chalice
– Artefact: Doppelganger Cloak
– Lore of the Vampires: Vile Transference
Necromancer (110)
– Lore of the Deathmages: Fading VigourBattleline
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
Units
20 x Grimghast Reapers (280)
6 x Spirit Hosts (240)
6 x Spirit Hosts (240)
Behemoths
Mortis Engine (180)
Total: 1990 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 0
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 128
Tony Moore – Legions of Nagash List
Tony Moore (@thecountmoore) is the current holder of the Legions of Nagash badge in the UK rankings and played Death a lot during Age of Sigmar first edition. Tony recently podiumed at both the Age of Sigmar Grand Tournament Finals and the Blood and Glory AoS GT with the list below. Tony’s won 14 tournament games recently with this list, with his only loss to Ben Savva’s Daughters of Khaine (#sohotrightnow). This is the pinnacle Nagash list, supported by a Vampire Lord, the Reapers and a Spellportal.
The Vampire Lord has a command ability which grants extra attacks to a nearby unit (cough Reapers cough), and the Vampire Lord can also heal several friendly units. This is why Tony went for 2 spare command points to start – he can both ensure that a key opponent unit dies under weight of attacks, while also being still able to bring back one of his units with Nagash.
I’m really interested to hear how Tony played the Pallisade. Update: Tony informs me that the Pallisade was important in two games at the GT final to block a portion of the board off from his opponent, but he didnt cast it at all at Blood and Glory.
Allegiance: Grand Host of Nagash
Mortal Realm: Shyish
Leaders
Nagash Supreme Lord Of The Undead (800)
– General
– Lores of the Dead Spell 1: Fading Vigour (Deathmages)
– Lores of the Dead Spell 2: Amethystine Pinions (Vampires)
– Lores of the Dead Spell 3: Vile Transference (Vampires)
Necromancer (110)
– Lore of the Deathmages: Overwhelming Dread
Vampire Lord (140)
– Mount: Nightmare
– Artefact: Balefire Lantern
– Lore of the Vampires: Amaranthine OrbBattleline
40 x Skeleton Warriors (280)
– Ancient Spears
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
Units
30 x Grimghast Reapers (360)
Endless Spells
Umbral Spellportal (60)
Prismatic Palisade (30)
Total: 1900 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 2
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 116
Joe McGough – Legions of Nagash List
Joe McGough (@HoboMcG) is another strong UK player who recently podiumed at the Blood and Glory AoS GT. Its another Legion of Sacrament list, but with the addition of Neferata and a Vampire Lord, rather than the Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon preferred by Russ. The Chronomantic Cogs will give extra spell casts and movement to help the army swarm over objectives.
Allegiance: Legion of Sacrament
Leaders
Arkhan The Black Mortarch of Sacrament (320)
– General
– Lore of the Dead: Fading Vigour (Deathmages)
Neferata Mortarch Of Blood (400)
– Lore of the Dead: Vile Transference (Vampires)
Vampire Lord (140)
– Mount: Flying Horror
– Artefact: Azyrbane Standard
– Lore of the Vampires: Amethystine Pinions
Necromancer (110)
– Lore of the Deathmages: Overwhelming DreadBattleline
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
Units
30 x Grimghast Reapers (360)
10 x Hexwraiths (320)
Endless Spells
Chronomantic Cogs (60)
Umbral Spellportal (60)
Total: 1950 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 1
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 112
Ricky Mee – Legions of Nagash List
Ricky (@Chippy_Rick) is a consistent top table performer from the South Coast of the UK. Ricky came 10th at Blood and Glory with the list below. A Nagash list supported by Vhodrai (a true combat monster).
Allegiance: Grand Host of Nagash
Steve Curtis – Legions of Nagash List
Steve Curtis (@firebornminis) podiumed at the the Age of Sigmar Grand Tournament Finals with the Nagash and Vampire Lord on Zombie Dragon list below.
Allegiance: Death
Mortal Realm: Shyish
Leaders
Nagash Supreme Lord Of The Undead (800)
– General
– Lores of the Dead Spell 1: Vile Transference (Vampires)
– Lores of the Dead Spell 2: Amaranthine Orb (Vampires)
– Lores of the Dead Spell 3: Overwhelming Dread (Deathmages)
Necromancer (110)
– Lore of the Deathmages: Spectral Grasp
Vampire Lord On Zombie Dragon (440)
– Deathlance & Shield & Chalice
– Artefact: Ethereal Amulet
– Lore of the Vampires: Amethystine PinionsBattleline
10 x Chainrasp Horde (80)
10 x Dire Wolves (120)
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
Units
20 x Grimghast Reapers (280)
Endless Spells
Umbral Spellportal (60)
Total: 1950 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 1
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 95
Brendan Melnick – Legions of Nagash List
Brendan (@Hobby_Bear) is the US’s Lord of Death and New Zealand’s representative within the Midwest Age of Sigmar scene. Brendan recently won the Dragon Fall GT with the Nagash list below. Stand-out differences are the use of the Lord Executioner with Gryph-feather Charm and the Geminids (still a solid Endless Spell).
The Gryph-feather Charm gives an extra layer of protection to a super tanky hero that will score with the artefact (“Subtract 1 from hit rolls for attacks that target the bearer. In addition, add 1″ to the bearer’s Move characteristic“)
Allegiance: Grand Host of Nagash
Realm: Ghur
Leaders
Nagash (800)
– General
– Lores of the Dead: Overwhelming Dread (Deathmages)
– Lores of the Dead: Amethystine Pinions (Vampires)
– Lores of the Dead: Vile Transference (Vampires)
Lord Executioner (80)
– Artefact: Gryph-feather Charm
Necromancer (110)
– Lores of the Dead : Fading Vigour (Deathmages)
Battleline
40 x Skeleton Warriors (280) – Ancient Blades
10 x Chainrasp Horde (80)
10 x Chainrasp Horde (80)
Units
30 x Grimghast Reapers (360)
Endless Spells
Umbral Spellportal (60)
Geminids of Uhl-Gysh (40)
Total: 1890 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 2
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 116
Ben Murphy – Legions of Nagash List
Ben Murphy recently came 4th at Angelcore, a medium sized but very competitive event in London recently. Ben’s list highlights the value of both Chainrasp and Grimghast within a Grand Host of Nagash list – both units add a lot to a Legions of Nagash list.
Ben has the only Aqshy Legions of Nagash list that I’ve seen. Aqshy unlocked the Thermalrider Cloak which works like an automatic Amethystine Pinions without the risk of casting (“Add 4 to the bearer’s Movement characteristic. In addition, the bearer may fly).
Allegiance: Grand Host of Nagash
Mortal Realm: Aqshy
Leaders
Nagash Supreme Lord Of The Undead (800)
– General
– Lores of the Dead Spell 1: Fading Vigour (Deathmages)
– Lores of the Dead Spell 2: Amaranthine Orb (Vampires)
– Lores of the Dead Spell 3: Vile Transference (Vampires)
Guardian of Souls with Nightmare Lantern (140)
– Artefact: Thermalrider Cloak
Necromancer (110)
– Lore of the Deathmages: Overwhelming DreadBattleline
40 x Chainrasp Horde (280)
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
5 x Dire Wolves (60)
Units
30 x Grimghast Reapers (360)
Endless Spells
Umbral Spellportal (60)
Prismatic Palisade (30)
Geminids of Uhl-Gysh (40)
Total: 1940 / 2000
Extra Command Points: 1
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 116
Dark Fantastic Mills Terrain
As I mentioned at the beginning, check out Dark Fantastic Mills for great 3D printed terrain perfect for wargaming. DFM has an excellent death-themed range, called Necrosia, which could be right up your alley. Its super versatile and light so worldwide shipping is inexpensive. Use the “aos shorts” discount code for a further 10% off the already decent prices and also help support the site.
