We’ve decided to break up the Orruk Warclans into 4 separate Start Competing articles, as the factions are so radically different it’s impossible to try and discuss them as a singular entity. We’ll start with the one that a lot of people may have been introduced due to because of the Dominion box, the sneaky Kruleboyz.

Overview

Kruleboyz are a sub allegiance in the Orruk Warclans book.  Like Ironjaws and Bonesplitters they keep to themselves outside of Big Waagh. It’s a surprisingly techy army that relies on positioning and unfair fights to win. Since release kruleboyz have taken in more on the chin but the June 2022 balance patch provided a few updates that will hopefully bring them into the 45% win range.  The vast majority of competitive games were played using the range combat focused Big Yellers faction. Recent changes to Hobgrots and Grinnin’ Blades are a shot in the army for a faction with a low win rate and will change army construction and faction selection.

Strengths

• Glorious Mortal Wounds – Kruleboyz aren’t ones to take on opponents without a venomous advantage. You’re going to become very good at picking out 6s on whatever dice you have. While over the course of a game damage averages out you can get really swingy results. 
• Ranged Damage – Hobgrots and Boltboyz both pack stronger than expected ranged damage. While they lose out to longer range armies focused on shooting (bow snakes and lumineth come to mind) they are able to deliver a large number of wounds from a distance. 
• Great Spell Lore – Between Boggy Mist, the warscroll spell on both casters, Kruleboyz have five good to great spells that range from removing a ward to reducing the attacks characteristic in melee for a large group of units. While difficult to cast (four of the five are cast on a 7) the spells apply consistent effects (-1 to charge board wide, reducing attacks characteristic)
• Strong Leaders – The Kruleboyz have extremely well pointed leaders with well defined roles and abilities.  A single sludgeraker is a threat to solo anything short of a Mega Gargant while the commanding view from a Killaboss on Corpse Vulture allows a second command ability to be used (double inspiring presence or rally anyone?). A Breakaboss on Mirebrute Troggoth is a great high volume bully unit when it strikes first. Gobbsprakk is a very viable 2 cast wizard with access to five great spells.  

• Flexibility on the table – Kruleboyz have the ability, with supa sneaky and dirty tricks, to play as an alpha strike army, a defensive castle or a patient predator waiting for a big turn.  Against a pure alpha strike army you’re able to push out a screen and force them into -1 to wound. Since you know who will have priority in the first round you can deploy in a more aggressive of defensive stance. 

Weaknesses

• Lack of mobility – Despite a few movement tricks Kruleboyz are cursed with slow movement for the majority of base units. This is made worse by a lack of fast units that are designed to trade up (like Ironjaws gore-gruntas or fulminators).  All of the units with a movement above 6 inches work best behind a line of slow gutrippaz and hobgrots.
• Lack of Endurance – Kruleboyz have no natural protection against mortal wounds, typically have an armor save of 5+ or 6+, and low bravery.  When combined these make an army that can’t get stuck in with Fyreslayers, Nurgle, or even Slaanesh for an extended period of time. Some of the bravery concerns are mitigated by “All part of da plan” but get used to picking up models. In the 2022-2023 season many of the missions take place up close and personal which makes this even more difficult.
• Poor Battalion fit – Most of the best units are leaders with over 10 wounds.  If you’re focused on maximizing battalions, it’s difficult to make a pure one-drop or fill out a warlord battalion efficiently.  

Allegiance Abilities

Venom Encrusted Weapons (VEW)– Mortal Wounds on 6s. Generating a mortal wound on a 6 to hit equal to the damage characteristic of the weapon used.  Make sure the user is a true and bonafide kruleboyz orruk (hobgrots and sloggoths don’t count, sorry) and get that damage cracking.  Ranged or melee, this rule gives Kruleboyz a reason to exist. Certain mount and companion attacks don’t receive VEW as well so check your warscrolls when you announce.

Kruleboyz Waaagh! – When you activate your general in combat you can pick two other Kruleboyz units and activate them in order.  With a large range (wholly within 18’ of the general) and the ability to activate in any order, this can be a tide-turning ability. It can be used in either phase but I’ve had the greatest success when picking it after charging with a few key units.  It’s possible to kill a front line or screen and then pile in to whatever your opponent was protecting. The best defense against getting hit is to take them out first.   

Dirty Tricks – Selected after command points are issued in the first battle round. The timing, as opposed to before rolling off like many similar abilities, gives significant advantages because you already know who will be going first or second. The fact remains that when selecting abilities or using powers in a dice game it’s often better to use the most consistent. 

• Noisy Racket – Subtract 1 from wound rolls for the first battle round.  This trick has won me several games just by adjusting the math in my favor. -1 to wound is one of the most powerful effects and having it army-wide makes it a great default power.
• Lethal Surprise – You can save time by describing this trick as “the one I won’t pick”. In early testing in the new season I still haven’t found a strong use case as the 1″ activation is too small.  It costs me nothing to say that:
  • rolling 3 dice, picking a different terrain feature or objective for each 4+, and writing this down in secret
  • then rolling a 2+ the first time any enemy unit finishes a move within 1’ to cause
  • D6 mortal wounds is not a competitive option with the amount of healing in game
• Disappearin’ Act – Another conditional that requires you to:
  • Rolling 3 dice, for each 4+ pick an enemy unit that is not reinforced to
  • Roll a dice ABOVE the selected units wound characteristic
  • The opponent is then forced to remove the unit from the table, and MUST set it up in its first movement phase more than 9” away from all enemy units
  • Unless the battleplan forbids “No Reserves”
    • And especially not if the opponent could gain movement for certain battleplans
• Covered in Mud – A good way to protect ranged units. In the 2022-2023 I’ve found that a unit of gally vet hobgrots benefit from this when cowering on a point.
  • Roll 3 dice, picking 1 friendly unit for each 4+ that is not a hero or a monster
  • While that unit is in cover, it is not visible to enemy units

Subfactions Allegiance Abilities

Grinnin’ Blades – Take note, the book says that this makes it so units cannot be seen more than 12″ away on the first turn, but the battlescroll has changed it so this lasts the whole game now. Since this is determined on a per model basis having 1 crossbowman able to see a unit doesn’t let him communicate this to the rest of his unit. Planning out deployments and thinking about positioning in case of a double turn is going to be very important. Two unique characters, Mannok Da’ Kunnin’ and Swampboss Slumdrekk, have Grinin’ Blades keywords.

Big Yellers –  Big Yellers get three significant abilities. The first is that they gain an extra 3″ to the range of Big Yeller ORRUK units missile attacks (sorry, hobgrots). Because of geometry this is a significant range increase for static and moving shots. Second, in the first battle round each Big Yeller Orruk unit is able to reroll a single hit dice. Finally, the big one, boltboyz are considered battleline.

Skullbugz – When an enemy unit is picked to fight, roll a dice if it is within 3″ of any Skullbugz units. Add 2 to this roll if it is within any Skullbugz monsters. On a roll of 6+ subtract 1 from hit rolls until the end of the phase. Don’t take, not even once.

Army Specific Tactics

Battalions

Kruleboyz have one specific battalion that provides a command point at the start of your phase and allows for a sub-commander, 3 Kruleboyz troops (not leader, artilery, or behemoth), and a unit of hobgrots (who are also troops). I do not understand why you would take this over a 1 drop or specific battlepack battalions.

With a dearth of strong artifacts and the benefit that a glass cannon army has from choosing who goes first Kruleboyz will continue to favor being a lower drop army. Don’t sleep on picking an additional mount trait as an added enhancement.  With hunters of the Heartland gone Loud un’ becomes an extremely strong second mount trait.

Battle Tactics

3 potential battle tactics. Due to the Battle Tactics in GHB 2023 being a bit harder some of these are more appealing than they were before. However because you’re sharing real estate with 3 other factions your options are much slimmer than they are in other books.

• Time to Get Stuck In – You complete this battle tactic if the unit chosen to be your general and all other units are within 12 inches of an enemy unit at the end of the turn. It can only be picked in the first or second battle rounds. This tactic has a specific application for when an army is pinning you in the first or second round (Think Nurgle Flys). Outside of that application we typically don’t have the speed to make it a regular part of your plan.
• Destroyer of Empires – Kragnos must be on the battlefield to pick this, and destroy an enemy faction terrain. Worth noting that it doesn’t need to be Kragnos to do it, he just needs to be on the field. However, it’s too specific to matter and reliant on a dice (monstrous action or Bellow of Rage) and having a faction terrain. Even if you have the prerequisites to do this, you’re putting your fate in a single dice roll.
• Take Dat, Ya Suckers – Allocate 10 wounds or mortal wounds to an enemy and have fewer than 10 wounds or mortal wounds allocated to you. This is a strong tactic in the new GHB season but requires some planning. It’s great in conjunction with a Kruleboyz Waagh or a ranged shooting attack. Incredibly easy if you shoot something with boltboys and avoid combat all together. I’ve often picked this tactic in rounds 2-3 when I didn’t feel confident enough to fully destroy a unit. This is a strong tactic to use that has only gotten better with the increased degree of difficulty in Galatian battle tactics. 

Command Traits

Kruleboyz might have three of the best command traits in Age of Sigmar 3.0. Every one of them is useful, provides great synergy with units we choose, and helps shore up weakness. Unfortunately, we can only take a single trait when building an army and two of them are left on the bench. Only a Killaboss, Snatchaboss, or Breakaboss can have these abilities so leave your all shaman army at home.

Egomaniak – This is a 4+ bodyguard to a friendly unit within 3″. it’s incredibly strong at keeping a key monster or general alive. The math of a 4+ bodyguard is a 100% increase in the wounds characteristic of a unit.  Egomanick, when combined with smelly un’ and elixir can create a tanky general to sit on a point and stay stuck in. Kruleboyz should focus on damage and tricks, not a fair fight.

Slippery Skumbag – Retreat and charge in the same turn. This is a great ability that is rarely used because of the strength of the other two abilities. Additional movement goes a lot farther and picking the right fights you want become more important in later battle rounds.  Being able to focus a strong unit into the best combat (a sludgeraker) or overpower backfield support characters with a Killaboss on Corpse-rippa Vulcha) is extremely strong.

Supa Sneaky – This is liable to be your default choice. The ability to redeploy a kruleboyz unit outside of 9″ after deployment is a great power and most opponent will be forced to deploy differently knowing you can stick a sluderaker into combat in the first turn.  More often this will be used to position a screen of Hobgrots in front of an opponent to disrupt a carefully laid first turn plan. Combined with a dirty trick after turn order is determined, this is too good of a trait to pass up.

Artifacts

Little of value, only one of use. For all the gifts in command traits artifacts are marginal use at best and combined the worse design of “Roll a dice – nothing happens” with a one-time per battle use. 

Morks Eye Pebble – 100% the strongest Kruleboy specific artifact.  Once per game, in the shooting phase, all friendly units gain a 5+ ward until the next phase. This is a relative banger and works well on a model with a larger base. This is an average to good artifact and the only one that should be considered in competitive play.  It’s consistent, fulfills a role in the army, and makes up for a potential weakness.  

Spiker Seeds – Once per game, after an enemy finishes a charge move within 6″ of the bearer, roll a dice for every model in the unit.  For each 5+ that unit takes a mortal wound.  Lame, limited, and easy to play around. In a Grinnin’ Blades list I could see this as a potential choice.  However, I think that smart opponents will play around this pretty easily or remove the bearer prior to a charge.

Beastkilla Slop – Once per battle, at the start of the combat phase, pick a 1 enemy monster within 3″ of the bearer. Roll a dice? on a 1 nothing happens, 2-5 do D6 damage, on a 6 do 2D6 damage.  Hard pass when monsters were running wild, harder pass now. 

Eye-Biter Ash – Once per battle, at the start of combat, roll a dice? On a 1-2 nothing happens.  Stop, take a second and think what effect could be so powerful that you could feel comfortable with this potential outcome of “Nothing happening”. Strike First?  That would be cool, and provide some great synergy with Kruleboyz Waagh.  Opponents can’t Pile in? That’s cool and tricky.  No – its -1 to hit for a phase meaning it costs a single command point to negate under the best of circimstances. (unless you get a 5-6 and then its for the rest of the battle). Take the time to black the words out in your your warclans book so your eyes are never tempted to use this underpowered pouch.

Mount Traits

Mount Traits are shared across factions, but you have some excellent beneficiaries of these.

Tough ‘Un – (Monster Only) Unless a monster has more than half the wounds allocated use the top bracket.  Totally fine and anodyne to take.  Since Kruleboyz brackets are generally quite generous, there are better choices for your mount trait.

Fast ‘Un– Once per game in the hero phase you can make a normal move.  Perfect mount trait. Perfect synergy with an alpha super sneaky to move outside 3″ and prevent a redeploy. It works well on every mounted hero (Gnashtooth, Breakaboss, Corpse-vulcha, and Sludgeraker) and is the best choice as your mount trait. 

Mean ‘Un– (Monster Only) On a stomp do D6 instead of D3 mortal wounds.  Totally acceptable and slightly better without Hunters of the Heartland as an option. Kruleboyz monsters don’t have an issue doing mortal wounds in combat and I would favor smelly ‘un or loud ‘un in a fight.

Loud ‘Un– (Monster Only) Pick all enemy units within 3″ instead of one for a Roar. Rarely picked over the last season due to hunters this is a great mount trait. I anticipate a lot of lists will play around with this and might even choose it over Fast Un’.

Weird ‘Un– Spell ignore on a 4+.  Not worth it – too unpredictable and the use case is too limited compared to Fast Un’ and Loud Un’.

Smelly ‘Un- -1 to hit rolls with melee weapons if you didn’t make a charge this phase. This is a pretty good trait when combined with Egomaniack to create a relatively (for Kruleboyz) tanky support hero. It’s in the fat middle with Mean Un’ and Tough Un’.

Spell Lores

Nasty Hex– Cast on a 7 with a range of 12 inches – this spell removes ward saves from a unit until the end of the round. Great spell with obvious use cases i.e. Death, Nurgle etc.. 

Choking Mist– Most likely the best spell in the lore. The threat range, 24 inches from the caster forming a 6″ bubble, hits every unit with -1 attacks characteristic and doesn’t allow a unit to run until your next hero phase. Often times the best time to use it is the first turn. If given the turn it reduces the impact of a double in reducing movement AND the impact of a unit if they do get into combat. The only downside is the 7 casting cost.

Da Black Pit– Mortal Wound Bomb AKA theNighthaunt killer. Casts on a 7 with a 12 inch range you pick an enemy unit and roll a dice for each model in the unit. For every dice equal to or greater than the armor characteristic (or a 6 in any case), do a mortal wound. Excellent for cracking high save models like Stormcast.

Sneaky Miasma – Cast on a 6. Pick a Kruleboyz monster wholly within 18 inches. It can make a normal move. Great spell as out of phase movement is always good and kruleboyz monsters can typically operate without help if the can strike first. Gobsprakk in particular benefits from being able to move, cast a second spell, and then move back behind a meatshield.

Units

Leaders

Mannock Da Kunnin’

A standard “Neat ability, no play” unit from a warband. Not worth the points for the chance to get another dirty trick on a 5+ (4+ as the general). The various rules that his crew have are neat, but not enough to justify this mediocre unit for 170 points.

Murknob with Belcha-banner

Avoid at all costs- a leader slot is too valuable to waste on this mishmash of different abilities. It lacks a role and doesn’t cover any weaknesses. He’s slow, has few attacks, and the totem, while neat, isn’t needed in an army that has a large number of unit commanders. The spell resistance is a trap even with the rise of endless spells as the 5+ roll is too inconstant and the 12 inch range is too small of a bubble. A wonderful model to paint that belongs on a plinth.

Killaboss with Stabgrot

This 110-point model comes in two flavors – with a shield and bad. He has a decent attack profile (7 total with the stabgrot) and a 3+ save with self contained bodyguard from the stabgrot makes a nice tanky combat hero. He’s not strong enough to fight things on his own and needs support from other units.  Fortunately his support ability, “All part of da plan”, helps mitigant a key kruleboyz weakness and reduces the number of units that run from a failed bravery check to 1. In the current meta Nighthaunt, Nurgle, and an updated horrorgast can all shut down the ability to issue commands in the battleshock phase giving him a lot of play. This ability also provides some great synergy with the hobgrots rerolling banner. Also remember that he and the stab grot are considered a single model so only one part of the two needs to be within 3 ” for the ability to trigger. 

Killaboss on Gnashtooth

This model helps with three areas – strong save, 10″ movement, and battleshock help, for only 170 points. He also has a decent (8 attacks) with 4 getting VEW and 4 with a -2 rend attack. A strong model to grab objectives late game and get stuck in combat with gutrippaz as he has the “All part of da Plan” ability described above. The Killaboss has been a key piece in some hobgrot spam lists to prevent too many of them running as they serve as a screen.  

Killaboss on Corpse-rippa Vulcha

 240 points. For only 70 points more than a gnashtooth you gain 2 inches in movement, have a worse (4+) save, and gain access to a stronger, but inconsistent attack profile. This model has “All Part of da Plan” and “Commanding View” – the ability to issue a second command to a friendly unit. As a totem he can issue a second command, such as unleash hell, redeploy, inspiring presence, or rally to a unit within 18″. The biggest downside is the real dollar price for each of these models and the ability to upgrade to a sludgeraker for 75 additional points.

Gobsprakk

 The change to Grinnin’ Blades makes this 280 point model MUCH stronger as he’s able to cowardly hide, cast spells, and attempt to dispel without pesky wounds finding him. The increase in endless spell power makes him MUCH stronger and not giving up a VP for taking a utility monster makes him more viable. A 2 cast / 2 dispel wizard with a once per game 3D6 dispel makes him a strong anti-magic unit against support casters. Any support hero hauling an arcane tome is liable to get yeeted out of existence for attempting to wield arcane powers. Our own Ellar makes a strong argument that he is best served in Big Waagh but his utility in a Kruleboyz list is greatly enhanced when he can’t be targeted. His warscroll spell, shared with swampcalla shamans, is cast on a 7 and is boardwide +1 charge for friendly Kruleboyz orruk units and a -1 FOR ALL OTHER UNITS (sorry allies, hobgrots, and sloggoths). This is an incredible defensive tool against deepstriking units and an underrated spell. Adding the Chronomatic Cogs endless spell plays well here, as he does not have an innate bonus to cast.

Breaka-Boss on Mirebrute Troggoth

Now this is a well-designed unit made for a single purpose – pain. The mirebrute, weighing in at 12 wounds with an impressive 9-15 attacks, is designed to hit things hard and uses every one of the 180 point price to do it. One of the 4 melee units with a -2 rend attack, it is the perfect unit to stand around as deterrence with your back line or be repositioned through supa sneaky and throw into the fire early. But I have a word of warning for all you would-be warriors- His 5-inch move is extremely limiting, and he isn’t a monster so he can’t benefit from Sneaky Miasma. Don’t forget to pull back on the harness at the start of every combat phase and gain an additional 2-6 attacks from his 3/3/-2/ damage 3 clubs.

Swampcalla Shaman 

Top tier support with [deep breath]: access to KB spell lore, a surprising 3-inch melee staff attack, a bonus pot grot model, automatic elixir and poison buffs, and a GREAT warscroll spell. The only downside is that you’re typically going to be feeding poison and elixirs instead of casting spells. Some have complained about the range of this ability (within 3″ and wholly within 12″) but I’ve never had an issue positioning my targets. Poison provides a buff to VEW causing mortals to happen on a 5 or 6 to hit increasing the reliability by 100%. Elixirs provide a +1 to save buff to a unit – and stack well with mystic shield. A bigger concern is that you can’t use them when engaged in combat (the shaman or the target) making it more difficult to keep your advantage. The cost – 10 points higher than a murknob and 5 points less than a killaboss – often causes this unit to be taken as a sub commander due to the wide utility and flexibility it provides.

Snatchaboss on Sludgeraker/ Swampboss Skumdrekk

Unlike the big birds these are very similar warscrolls with the Snatchaboss being the much better having access to enhancements. At only a 5 point difference (315 vs. 320) I wouldn’t rule out picking Skumdrekk as a third sludgeraker as he has an extra wound, a better snatch, and a bet rule involving hobgrots that is fun, dumb, and not worth explaining. Both warscrolls provide a 12 inch bubble that increases the mortal wounds inflicted by VEW by one when a six is rolled. As the warscroll points out this does not combine with the swampcalla’s poison buff. Both units also have a once per game ability to snatch a model within 3 inches at the end of combat. The model must have less than 7 wounds and not have a mount but you’re able to roll two dice and if the result is higher, or even for Skumdrekk, than the wounds characteristic they’re gone. Finally, the attack profile is extremely strong with 10 multi-damage attacks benefiting from VEW and 2 -2 rend tail attacks.  The consistent damage (2 for claws and 3 for the chain) become 3 and 4 mortal wounds on a 6.  Mortal wounds, when boosted by the snatchaboss ability can add up quickly. However, most of the attacks are only rend -1 making it difficult to go after higher armored foes alone.  Since this model buffs units there isn’t a rush to get it into combat and you can focus on picking your fights.

Battleline

Gutrippaz

Yep, thats it. Your one battleline (technically). Get familiar with these units. 5-inch move, with a +1 to charge makes them a slow footslogging unit that wants to avoid getting charged. They come in two flavors but the spear version, with 2-inch reach, is vastly superior even in the tunnels of Gallet. You’re generall fishing for those 6s to do mortals anyway so the more dice you get to roll the better you’ll do.

They also have a conditional -1 to hit that represents the worse in ability design – not in combat, at the start of the charge phase, for a single unit that isn’t a hero or monster. After rolling dice, and comparing it to bravery, you add 1 for every 5 models in a unit.  After all that you get a -1 to hit from a specific unit to the gutrippaz.  Prior to being Galatian Veterans the 2 wounds per model gave them a slightly more tanky profile than anticipated.  However, most bounty hunters will shred through a 5+ save.

Others – 

Beast-Skewer Killbow – A unit that sometimes works its way into a list only to be replaced by a superior choice. The correct answer is always to insert a cheaper unit of boltboyz in place of the Killbow. If your single attack hits you roll dice equal to the wounds characteristic of the target and add damage for each 5s and 6s.  This damage is a minimum of 2 and capped at 12. 130 points is too much when a lower variance option in boltboyz is 10 points cheaper.

Boltboyz

Conditional battleline in Big Yellers. One of the best designed shooting units in the game. They have a dual profile that rewards moving towards an opponent with a higher number of shots with a drop off in range. The first profile provides a range of 24″ with a 2/3/-1/2 with 4 shots from a 3-man unit (leaders carry 2 crossbows?). The second, used when a unit is in combat or has moved, increases this to 7 shots but worsens the hit requirement to 4. For 120 points these units can threaten most support heroes and damage monsters at range.  Large units can eliminate entire units when fully buffed by a sluderaker and a shaman.  On a damage per point basis MSU boltboyz have a higher damage output when compared to a 9-man Big Yellers unit with a poison buff and provide a higher degree of flexibility in choosing the weapon profile.

Hobgrots

As of the new GHB Hobgrots are Pseudo-battleline. For each Gutrippaz unit you can take one Hobgrot unit as battleline, which means you’ll probably use at least one unit as abattleline requirement if only to take advantage of an cool cheap 80 point unit. The use of the word “Can” is extremely helpful in controlling if you want a unit to be galatian vets and a nice design choice.  The main use of a hobgrots will be to objectives, screen, and die well. Hobgrots have a run and shoot with a surprising 4/3/-1/1 profile that can skirmish and surprise weaker foes. Don’t expect them to survive contact with the enemy, but they will at least eat up one of their combat phases and there’s only so many of those per game.

Marshcrawla Sloggoth

For 150 points he makes a perfect ally in gitz or ogors due to his +1 to hit bubble providing a great synergy to your army.  Like hobgrots he doesn’t benefit from VEW but has an eight attacks and a decent save on 12 wounds and a limited model snatch ability at the end of combat. Because of the low rend weapons in a KB army the majority of damage is going to occur through high volume VEW attacks. A sloggoth is not a bad choice – but he doesn’t provide synergy in an army that relies on buffs.

Warmasters and Allies

The list of Kruleboyz units is painfully thin. They got a solid introduction in Dominion and the subsequent release, but it’s tough going trying to rock them alone. Other than running Big WAAAGH (which will be a seperate article) here are some options you have to spice up your list.

Kragnos

Kragnos is great, end of discussion.  He’s a model that can help you win games by himself and provides an incredibly strong charge buff to allies. I’ve seen some monster heavy boltboy lists that are fun, have high output, and may compete well.  In Grinnin’ Blades he both lacks the protection of the subfaction and is the unit most likely to be targeted by ranged attacks. Another benefit is his spell ignore – a strong benefit with the increase in effectiveness of endless spells. The biggest issue with Kragnos is he doesn’t allow a KB army to remain a 1 drop and take the warscrolls that benefit most from his charge bonus (Sludgeraker, Breakaboss).

Incarnate of Ghur 

The new season (and a poorly designed FOMO box) may be preventing everyone from participating in Hot Incarnate Summer but this model is going to be in A LOT of top lists. The ability to fight, the difficulty in removing the model, and the ability to prevent opponents from retreating are all powerful. Sending an incarnate into combat and then picking combatants with poisoned bolts does feel thematic for a kruleboyz army.  

Shootas

In big yellers shootas are the perfect ally. the -1 to hit from the nets, higher bravery compared to hobgrots, +2 to run rolls from a gong, and low 140-point costs allowed them to be a highly efficient screen that could help you unpack a castle. If you’re running any faction other than grinnin’ blades they still must be considered as cheap objective holders and screens.  If you choose Egomaniak they can also serve as a sponge for wounds. 

Snarlfangs Rippa’s

One of the best warbands out there they fill a lot of holes that the kruleboyz have. They can move quickly (12 inches) and have the good 6-inch pile in for only 70 points. A nifty trick is to cover them in mud and keep them hidden in terrain until needed at the end of the game. 

Madcap Shaman

If you need to fill out a warlord battalion and don’t have 105 points for a swampcalla shaman this is a much better choice than a murknob. A 1 cast wizard with a great warscroll spell (-1 to hit from shooting) for 80 points.

Sample Lists

Talking about lists is pure theory But I’ll share a Big Yellers list, inspired by Ellis Priestley, and a Grinnin’ Blades list that I’ll be taking to two 2-day events.

Big Yellers

This is a classic castle list with a few tricks for the new season.  Lauchon can provide some great additional mobility for the Mirebrute at the start of battle OR the swampcalla shamans to potentially grab a point. You have the option of allowing hobgrots to be battleline or not but the potential benefit of snagging a proving ground outweights getting smashed by bounty hunters.  As hobgrots they were going to die anyway.

Allegiance: Kruleboyz
– Warclan: Big Yellers
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Inspired
Snatchaboss on Sludgeraker Beast (315)*
– General
– Command Trait: Supa Sneaky
Swampcalla Shaman with Pot-grot (105)**
– Lore of the Swamp: Choking Mist
Swampcalla Shaman with Pot-grot (105)*
– Lore of the Swamp: Nasty Hex
Breaka-Boss on Mirebrute Troggoth (180)**
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Mount Trait: Fast ‘Un
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon
9 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (360)*
– Reinforced x 2
9 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (360)**
– Reinforced x 2
10 x Gutrippaz (180)*
10 x Hobgrot Slittaz (80)**
20 x Shootas (140)*
– 3x Barbed Nets
– Allies
20 x Shootas (140)**
– 3x Barbed Nets
– Allies
Lauchon the Soulseeker (30)
*Battle Regiment
**Battle Regiment

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 4 / 4
Allies: 280 / 400
Wounds: 144
Drops: 2

Grinnin’ Blades

The below list hasn’t been tested in a 2-day event and sprung from my head after being cracked by a wicked stikka.  The theory of the case is that most deployments are 18″ having 3 strong melee hammers will be pretty useful.  A lack of screens leaves only the Grinnin’ Blades subfaction ability to avoid enemy fire.  

Allegiance: Kruleboyz
– Warclan: Grinnin’ Blades
– Grand Strategy: No Place for the Weak
– Triumphs: Inspired

Snatchaboss on Sludgeraker Beast (315)**
– General
– Command Trait: Supa Sneaky
Snatchaboss on Sludgeraker Beast (315)
Swampcalla Shaman with Pot-grot (105)**
– Lore of the Swamp: Nasty Hex
Swampcalla Shaman with Pot-grot (105)**
– Lore of the Swamp: Choking Mist
Breaka-Boss on Mirebrute Troggoth (180)
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Mount Trait: Fast ‘Un
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon
10 x Gutrippaz (180)*
10 x Gutrippaz (180)*
10 x Hobgrot Slittaz (80)**
3 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (120)**
3 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (120)**
3 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (120)**
3 x Man-skewer Boltboyz (120)**
Chronomantic Cogs (40)
*Bounty Hunters
**Battle Regiment

Total: 1980 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 126
Drops: 5

Conclusion

Now is the time to muck stuff up. The field of play has been shaken up with new battletome releases, a new battlepack with the first truly new missions, and more efficient endless spells. Kruleboyz were given a lifeline in the change to Grinnin’ Blades and the conditional hobgrot battleline that will reinvigorate how the faction builds lists.  Even with these changes kruleboyz retain all the strengths and weaknesses from before and are unlikely to be a top table meta army.  Hopefully they improve to the 45%-55% faction win percentage.